


Woodbury

by Chuckyegg



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Merle Dixon Being an Asshole, Nice Merle Dixon, Protective Merle Dixon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-03-03 21:21:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13349757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chuckyegg/pseuds/Chuckyegg
Summary: A prequel to Sanctuary. Rachel's journey before she met Negan.





	1. Chapter 1

Rachel had been alone for about a week at a guess. She hadn't eaten in three days, and had run out of water the previous night. What had made it worse, was she had found some water and gotten sick, what with no means to start a fire and boil it. And to top it off, she was lost. She wanted to fall down and sleep, but she knew if she did that, she wouldn't get back up again. So she wandered aimlessly through the woods, hoping she would come across someone, or at least make her way out.

Rachel hears a gunshot in the distance. She turns her head, not sure which direction it came from. "Hello?" She croaks, her throat dry. Rachel sways on her feet. She stumbles over to a nearby tree, leaning against it. She hears a branch snap to her left. Her first thought is the dead. "Shit!" She frowns, realising that she has no weapons of any kind, not that she'd have the strength to use any kind of weapon right now. Rachel prepares herself to run, or at least walk very fast, when she hears voices. She looks over to her left, still clinging to the tree. Two men come out of the trees. "Hello."

They stand side by side, quite obviously surprised to see anything other than the dead out here. "You lost?" One of them smiles.

Rachel nods. "Yeah."

"You don't look too good," the other one says.

Rachel shakes her head. "I'm not. I haven't eaten in days. You haven't got any water, have you?"

"Yeah, you thirsty?" He asks.

"My throat feels like sandpaper," Rachel half smiles. Her head stops spinning for a moment, and she has time to take them in. If it wasn't for the way they carried themselves, she would swear they were worse off than her. They were filthy, and had a W carved on their foreheads. "What's with the W? You in some sort of club or something?" She jests.

"Or something," one of them says. "You have anything on you?"

Rachel holds her arms out to her sides. She almost loses her balance, so resumes leaning back against the tree. "Sorry, i've got nothing."

"That's not true, everyone has something. Especially someone as pretty as yourself," one of them sneers.

Rachel stares at them both. Her heart pounds against her chest, as she realises there are other dangers in this world than just the dead. "Well, i'm sorry. I.. i don't have anything," she stutters. 

"We'll just see about that," one of them smiles, making his way over to her. He pulls at her arm, and his friend comes up behind her.

"What are you doing? Get off me!" Rachel yells. She squirms in his grip, attempting to kick out at him, but it's useless. One of them pins her wrists to the ground, as the other straddles her. Rachel wriggles beneath him. "Please don't," she pleads. But he just laughs at her. 

He takes out his knife, holding it up to her face. "This'll be so much easier if you don't fight." 

Rachel feels the cold blade against her skin. He lowers the blade to just below her vest, then he cuts it off, tossing what's left of her vest to one side. He runs the blade down her thigh, and then up underneath her skirt.

"Noo!" Rachel screams. She squirms beneath him, her energy slowly ebbing away with every movement. She winces as he he nicks her inner thigh. "Please!" She begs.

He laughs in her face, not one ounce of sympathy in his expression. Rachel closes her eyes, not wanting his face to be the last thing she sees before she dies. The sound of a gunshot rings in her ears, and suddenly the guy straddling her collapses in a heap above her. She opens her eyes just in time to see the other W guy take a shot to the head. Rachel looks over at a pair of feet coming towards her. She flinches as he pulls the dead body off her.

"Hey," he holds his hands up. Although that's not strictly true, as she notices he only has the one. "Don't worry, sugar. I'm a lotta things, but i ain't like that." He takes off his shirt, leaving himself in just a vest. "It's alright," he assures her, holding out his shirt. 

Rachel takes it and slowly puts it on, every movement a struggle.

"What's a pretty little thing like yourself doing out here?" He asks.

"I.. i'm lost," she croaks.

"Well no shit," he smiles. "You're lucky i was out here."

Rachel nods, then tears begin to stream down her cheeks.

He looks away from her uncomfortably. "Did you know these assholes?"

Rachel shakes her head. "No, i just met them. They're the first people i've seen in a week."

"Not much of a damn welcome wagon, is it? Makes you wonder whether there's anyone worth a shit left," he says. "Name's Merle."

She looks up at him. "Rachel. Do you have any water?"

"I don't, sugar," Merle glances down at her leg, the blood from the nick on her thigh catching his eye. He grimaces. "Are you.. hurt? Did they hurt you?"

"No. Thanks to you," she smiles. "I don't feel so good though. My stomach hurts. I drank some water, and it made me sick i think."

Merle nods. "There's a town not too far from here. Woodbury. We have a lot of people there, it's safe. You think you can walk?"

Rachel lifts herself up. "I think so," she smiles. But she speaks too soon.

Merle watches as her eyes roll to the back of her head. He catches her before she falls to the ground. "Damn, girl," he frowns, laying her on the ground. He makes his way over to one of the W guys, stabbing them through the head. He checks their pockets, but comes up empty. Merle stands over Rachel. He shakes his head. "You gotta toughen up, sugar," he says. He kneels down, throws her arm over his shoulder and carries her through the woods.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Rachel's eyes slowly flicker open. She winces slightly as she attempts to move her arm. A tube sticks out of it, attached to an IV bag. Rachel turns her head, and sees what looks like a doctor rifling through a medicine cabinet.

"Where am i?" Rachel asks.

The doctor turns around and walks over to Rachel. "I'm Dr. Stevens," she smiles.

"What's this?" Rachel motions towards the tube in her arm.

"It's just fluids, you were really badly dehydrated."

"Where's the guy that brought me here?" Rachel asks.

"I don't know. Someone should be along soon. They'll fill you in," Dr. Stevens assures her. "I won't be long," she says, stepping outside.

Rachel watches her leave. She stares up at the ceiling, going over what had happened. She remembered being attacked, that would stay with her forever. And she remembered being rescued. Christ! What was his name? She frowns, not quite able to remember. The doors swing open to her left, and a man makes his way towards her.

"Hi," he smiles.

Rachel looks at him distrustfully.

"Not up to talking? I guess it's been a while since you were around people? Merle said you were on your own when he found you," he says.

Merle, that was his name, she thinks.

"Said the biters were closing in on you," he adds.

Rachel stares at him confused. "Yeah, i think so. It's all a bit hazy."

"That's understandable. You weren't in good shape when you got here. You've been out for two days."

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise. "Really?"

He laughs lightly. "Yeah, you must've needed it."

"Where am i?" She asks.

"You're safe. We have a lot of people here. People that keep this place safe," he says.

"Are you leading this place?"

"I'm trying. When i first got here, there were a lot of hotheads in charge. Bad people. So i rose up, took this place and made it better. People like to call me the Governor," he smiles almost apologetically.

"Governor?"

"I know. It's not a title i'd pick myself. But it's stuck. Soon as you're up and about, i'll show you round. It's up to you how long you stay here, but you are welcome to stay," he smiles.

Rachel watches him closely. Something bothers her about him, and she can't quite put her finger on it. "Thank you," she nods.

He smiles at her before heading back out.

 

"I feel much better," Rachel smiles.

"Good," Dr. Stevens nods. "If you have any problems, just come and see me."

"Thanks, i will do," Rachel nods.

The door to the infirmary opens. "I see you're feeling better," the Governor smiles.

"I am, thanks to the doc here," Rachel nods in her direction.

"Why don't i show you around?" He offers.

Rachel hope off the bed and makes her way over to him. He opens the double doors.

"Welcome to Woodbury," he smiles.

Rachel steps out of the door and looks out in awe. She turns to him. "You have an entire town?"

"We do. It wasn't easy, by we did it," he nods.

"How?"

He places his hands against his hips. "A lot of hard work. We have men on the wall at all times, keeping this place safe."

She scans the town, not quite believing her own eyes. "Well, it's just.. it's unbelievable."

The Governor laughs. "I can imagine why you'd think that. When you're out there," he points towards the gate. "It's a different world."

Rachel watches the people of Woodbury walking around without a care in the world. As if the world hasn't turned to shit.

"Come on, i'll take you to your apartment," he says, walking ahead of her.

 

The Governor opens the door to the second floor apartment. "It's not the biggest one we have, but it's clean."

Rachel steps inside. There's a large living/kitchen area. A bathroom and a bedroom. "You're joking right? It's brilliant!" She beams, taking it all in.

He laughs from behind her. "I suppose anything's a big step up from being out there."

"It is," she says, looking out of the window.

"There's clean clothes. Some fruit and canned goods. Plenty enough to last you a while. You need anything, just ask," he says.

"Thank you. I'll make sure i earn my place here, i will," Rachel assures him.

"I'm sure you will. I'll leave you to get settled in," he says.

Rachel nods. "Seeya."

 

Rachel walks around her apartment, eating spaghetti straight out of the can. After a shower and a fresh set of clothes, she felt much better. She glances at her old clothes in a dirty pile on the floor. Rachel grabs them and tosses them in the trashcan. She makes her way over to the window, looking down at the street below. It's strange, seeing so many people just milling around. She sees a familiar face and heads outside.

 

"Merle," she calls, making her way over to him.

Merle looks in her direction. "Hey there, shortie. See you got yourself all cleaned up."

"Yeah," she smiles. "I.. i wanted to thank you."

Merle nods. "Weren't nothing."

"It was. I don't like to think what might have happened if you hadn't been out there," she shakes her head. "I don't think i'd be standing her right now."

"You was one of the sorriest things i ever come across," Merle says.

Rachel looks down at her feet. "Why didn't you tell the Governor about those men in the woods?"

Merle looks at her uncomfortably. "Ain't nobody's business but yours."

Rachel nods. "That's pretty cool," she points at the blade sticking out of his stump.

Merle chuckles, holding it up in front of his face. "Think so uh?"

"How did you lose it?" She asks.

"Now there's a story. Cut it off ma'self. You believe that?"

"Really?" Rachel asks, mouth agape.

"Yeah, but i'll tell ya bout it some other time. I got shit to do," Merle says.

"Okay. Would you come over for dinner some time?"

Merle stares at her, confused.

"I just want to thank you, that's all. To be fair though, i'm not much of a cook, so, it probably won't be much of a thank you," she smiles.

"You're inviting me over for dinner?"

"Yeah. It'll just be tinned crap, but it saves eating it on my own," Rachel smiles.

"Alright, if it'll stop ya going on about it," Merle relents. "I'll come by tomorrow."

"Okay, i'll see you tomorrow," she waves, heading back to her apartment.

Merle watches after her, still confused as to why she'd invite him round for dinner. He stands there a few moments, trying to recall if anyone had ever invited him to dinner. Merle shakes his head and makes his way towards the gate.

 

Rachel lies in her new bed, staring up at the ceiling. She can't believe her luck. For the first time since this started, she actually feels safe. Like she can actually take a breath for the first time in weeks. After her conversation with Merle, she had realised what had been bothering her about the Governor. It was his eyes. Every time he had smiled, it hadn't quite reached his eyes. It was the same when he laughed, it felt like it wasn't genuine, like he was wearing some kind of mask. Like he was hiding something. But so what if he was? Maybe he'd had a family and lost them? And putting on a smile was the only way to get by. Christ! Wasn't everyone kind of wearing a mask. Rachel scolds herself mentally for being so judgemental, then rolls on to her side and drifts off.

 


	3. Chapter 3

"So they just handcuffed you to the roof?" She asks in awe.

"Yeah. Assholes just left me to die," Merle nods through a mouthful of food.

"Didn't they come back?" Rachel asks.

"Didn't hang around to find out, shortie. Cut ma own hand off and got the hell outta there," Merle glances at his stump.

"Your brother would've gone back for you though, don't you think?" Rachel says.

"Daryl? Yeah, he would. Like i said, hun. Didn't wait to find out."

Rachel pushes her food around the plate. "I would've made something better if i could."

"What you talking bout? Best canned shit i had in a long time," he smiles.

Rachel laughs. She hasn't laughed in what feels like forever, and it feels good.

"So what they got you doing here, shortie?"

"Babysitting," Rachel frowns.

"You look disappointed, what did you think they'd have you do? Working the wall?" He scoffs.

"No," she says sarcastically. "But i don't want to be on babysitting duties either."

"So go talk to the Governor, he'll put you on something else," Merle says.

Rachel shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"Something wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing, it's just.. you think he's alright?" She asks.

"Who? The Governor?" He frowns. "I'd be dead if it weren't for him. So yeah, he's alright."

"Oh," she sits back in her chair. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just get weird vibes from him, that's all."

Merle stares at her and laughs. "Weird vibes. Damn, girl. Whatever vibes you're getting, sugar, you might wanna keep that opinion to yourself. We've all been through shit, ain't a one of us gonna make it outta this world clean."

"I guess so," she says.

"No," he points a finger at her. "Don't do no good to guess, sugar. You gotta know that shit. Won't last five minutes if you don't get your hands dirty. You must've gotten yours dirty, else you wouldn't be here."

"I haven't, i'm not sure i can," she shakes her head.

Merle frowns. "You shitting me? You trying to tell me, that you ain't so much as stuck a knife through a biter?"

"I always ran," Rachel says.

"Jesus Christ! It's a damn wonder you're breathing right now," Merle says.

Rachel gets up from the kitchen table, grabbing a pitcher of water. Merle looks her over.

"What happened to the clothes you came in with?" Merle asks.

She places the pitcher on the table. "I threw them away. Doesn't make sense to be wearing stuff like that anymore."

"Why?" He frowns. "You think those assholes in the woods attacked you because of what you was wearing? That's horseshit. People like that are monsters, ain't nothing new. There were people like that before, and they'll be the one's who outlive us all, sugar."

"Why?"

"Because they'll do what needs to be done and then some. They ain't got no worries about what's right or wrong, they just live, no matter the cost," Merle says.

"Those two didn't outlive us," Rachel points out.

"No," Merle sits forward. "They didn't. But i'm not exactly what you'd call a good guy."

"You saved me. You didn't have to, but you did. That's pretty good," Rachel says.

"Momentary lapse, that's all. I'm only concerned with one thing, shortie. And that's my own survival. You can think of yourself as an old dog that got it's leg caught in a bear trap. Ain't something you wanna hear or see, so you save it. But you know it's only a matter of time before it gets caught again, cos old dogs don't learn."

"Are you saying i'm old?" Rachel frowns. "Because i'm about half your age."

Merle laughs and shakes his head. "Come on, sugar. You know exactly what i'm saying. You ain't stupid."

"I'm weak."

Merle slaps his hand against the table. "Right on the money, sugar! You're weak. You probably only lasted this long, cos you had someone to watch your ass. You got victim written all over you," Merle watches her face drop. "Now don't be like that. Or would you rather i fed you a line of bullshit?"

Rachel shakes her head. "No."

"Way i see it, you got two choices. Use that pretty little face of yours and that hot body to your advantage, there's plenty of men who'd be more than happy to watch that cute little ass of yours. Or you toughen up, learn to take care of yourself. But, sugar. I ain't sure you got it in ya," he shakes his head.

"You're a really good motivational speaker, you know that?" Rachel says sarcastically.

Merle chuckles lightly. "I just say it how i see it."

"Would you help me?" She asks, her eyes pleading with him.

Merle stares at her bemused. "Me? Now why would i want to do that, shortie?"

"To be nice?" She smiles sweetly.

"Oh, sugar. You don't know me at all," Merle shakes his head.

"So that's a no then?" Rachel frowns.

"Look, you're alright. But i ain't your daddy. You want someone to hang off, go see the governor," Merle frowns as he gets up from his seat.

"I don't want someone to hang off," Rachel says.

"Sugar, i ain't wasting my damn time trying to fix you. You either got it, or you don't," Merle shakes his head, throwing her a pitiful look. "And you don't."

Rachel sits in silence as he leaves her apartment.

 

She tosses and turns in her sleep, her eyes opening in the dark as she wakes from a nightmare, only to realise she's living in one. Rachel hears an impatient knock at her door and steps out of bed. Who the hell is knocking at this time? She frowns as she walks through the apartment. She opens the door, rubbing at her tired eyes. "Merle. What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

"You got five minutes before i change my mind, go get dressed."

"What?" She asks, confused.

Merle looks at his watch impatiently. Rachel runs back into the apartment and throws her jeans and boots on. She grabs her jacket and heads back towards the door. Merle looks her up and down.

"Can't go out there unarmed, shortie. Gonna need something, you got one minute," he frowns, glancing at his watch.

She heads back inside and rummages through the kitchen drawer. Rachel grabs a medium sized knife and tucks it into her belt.

Merle eyes the knife and chuckles lightly. "Come on, we'll need to be quiet."

 

Merle pulls at a board on the fence. "Ladies first," he ushers with his hand. Rachel nervously squeezes though the gap, coming out into an alley. Merle squeezes through and stands beside her.

"Are we supposed to be out here?" She asks.

"No, so keep it quiet," Merle whispers. "Come on."

Rachel and Merle walk through a small town. Rachel flinches at every sound, the thought of the dead coming out of the shadows terrifying her. "We shouldn't be out in the dark. What if we come across the dead?"

"I couldn't exactly slip you out the gate in broad daylight, shortie. If we come across too many biters to handle, i got your back. You trust me?"

Rachel stares at him, her eyes slowly adjusting. "Yes."

"Good," he nods. "So you can stop acting like you're about to piss your pants."

"How can you be so calm?" She asks.

"It ain't about being calm. It's about being ready when shit goes down. Knowing you can do what it takes to survive. That fear you get, turn it into adrenaline. Take that, and use that son of a bitch to keep you alive. If you wanna live, then that's what you gotta do. You can't rely on others to keep you breathing."

Rachel frowns. "But you just told me to trust you."

"Yeah, and like i said, i got your back," he shakes his head. "But that only goes so far, shortie. If it's a choice between your life or mine, i'm gonna pick mine every time," Merle turns his head to the right. "You hear that?"

Rachel stands still, her breath heavy. "It's the dead," she walks backwards a few steps, panic beginning to set in.

"Hey," Merle grabs her arm. "Look at me," Rachel looks at the ground, her eyes beginning to water. Merle shakes her slightly. "Look at me!" Rachel looks him in the eye sheepishly. "I didn't bring you out here for a midnight stroll. We're gonna find that thing, and you're gonna kill it."

Rachel shakes her head. "I can't. What if it gets me? What if there's more than one?"

"Then i'll handle it. But if it's just one, you take it out. You take that knife, and you put it straight through it's eye."

"It's eye?" She says, confused.

"It's the easiest way to do it. Especially with that kitchen knife you brought. That ain't gonna get through it's skull."

"Why didn't you say that before?" Rachel stresses.

"Cos you gotta work with what you got," Merle takes the knife from her belt. "Hold it like this, then push like that. Here," he hands her the knife. "You don't take this biter out? Then we don't come out here again, you hear me?"

Rachel nods. "Okay."

"Don't over think it. Just kill the damn thing. It ain't human, it's dead, and you're doing it a damn favour. Now come on," Merle heads to his right. "It must be stuck behind something, else we'd have seen it by now." He heads down an alley, Rachel walking nervously beside him. "There he is, little fucker. Got it's leg caught, see," he ushers with his hand. "This should be easy, shortie. It ain't going nowhere."

Rachel steps towards it, the knife trembling in her hand. The dead thing goes to claw at her legs, but Merle was right, it isn't going anywhere. She kneels down beside it, trying to clear her mind.

"Don't over think it," Merle says.

Rachel tightens her grip on the knife, and plunges it straight through the dead thing's eye. Her eyes widen in surprise as the knife slips through easily, and then the dead thing ceases to exist, if that's what you'd call it? She pulls her knife back out and watches it's head drop to the floor. Rachel had expected to feel sickly, but all she feels is relief.

"How'd that feel?" Merle asks as he kneels beside her.

"It felt.. like a weight lifting off my shoulders."

"Good," Merle smiles. "We should head back before it gets light."

"So how did you feel when you put down your first biter?" Rachel asks as they head back to Woodbury.

"I damn near pissed my pants," he laughs. "Of course, i wasn't as lucky as you. I didn't know what the hell it was. Thought it was some damn asshole on a three day bender still high on some shit. Nearly tore my damn throat out! If Daryl hadn't been there it probably would've."

"You think he's still out there?"

Merle looks away thoughtfully. "Yeah, i'm sure of it. He's a tough son of a bitch. Gets it from me," he smiles.

"Why did you change your mind? Helping me i mean?"

Merle glances at her. "I'm not sure. Maybe i don't think you're a total loss after all? Or maybe i just got nothing better to do? Guess we'll see."

"Well whatever your reasons, thanks," she smiles.

Merle nods then continues on in silence.


	4. Chapter 4

"If he's such a decent guy, then why would he get mad at me being out here? Why do we have to keep sneaking out?" Rachel frowns.

"Would you stop with the constant questions. You're supposed to be learning shit, not asking about the governor. Now pay attention," Merle says.

"Sorry. It's a pretty simple question though," Rachel adds.

Merle sighs deeply and turns to her. "He's keeping people safe. You've seen how many people we got at Woodbury. Wouldn't be even close to that number if it weren't for the governor. Now focus will you, cos you're getting on my damn nerves."

"Sorry," Rachel smiles. "Ooh, that's pretty," she says, reaching out a hand. Merle slaps her hand away. "Ow! What was that for?"

"It's Poison Sumac ya idiot, Jesus Christ!"

"Well how was i supposed to know?" Rachel says.

"If you was listening instead of asking questions every five seconds, you'd know," Merle scolds her. "If you're not gonna take this seriously, then i ain't gonna waste my damn time anymore."

"I'm sorry. I am taking it seriously, and i appreciate it, i do," Rachel assures him.

"Good. Now go take out that biter," Merle points.

"What biter?" She asks, turning her head.

"The one bout to show up through those trees anytime now. Also the one you didn't hear because you're too busy yapping," he frowns.

Rachel turns her head, and sure enough, a biter makes it's way through the trees. She doesn't give herself time to over think. Rachel heads straight for it, taking the knife from her belt. She holds out her arm, and as it goes to bite her, she plunges the knife into it's skull. Rachel wipes the knife on her over knee sock and tucks it back into her belt. She'd taken her clothes out of the trash the same morning she'd killed her first biter, and she had felt much better for it.

"I don't like the word biter," she says as she heads back over to Merle. "We should come up with something cooler. Like.. creepers, or nippy little bastards."

Merle chuckles lightly. "Shut the hell up. Come on, you're supposed to be finding something to eat."

Rachel rolls her eyes. "It's not my fault that everything's bloody poisonous. We wouldn't have this problem back in England. Saying that, there probably wouldn't be much to eat other than berries. Those grow everywhere. Couldn't walk ten feet through the woods without coming across a blackberry or raspberry bush. They grow almost as much as dandelions, God I hate those things," she grimaces.

"What? Dandelions? You can eat those," Merle says.

Rachel turns to him as they walk. "Bullshit."

"I shit you not. Taste real bitter, but you can eat the entire thing. Boil em up, takes the bitterness away, and, you can drink the rest. It's good for ya."

Rachel shakes her head. "That sounds disgusting."

"Maybe, but that's the difference between life and death. You're hungry enough, that shit's gonna taste like a five course meal."

Rachel continues on, trying to find something to eat. "What about that?" She points at some red berries.

Merle shakes his head. "You don't wanna eat that, that's nightshade."

Rachel huffs, dropping her shoulders. "All this looking for food is making me hungry."

"Well i guess you'd better find something else you'll starve," Merle says.

It's ten minutes before something catches her eye. "Oh you have got to be joking?" Rachel frowns.

Merle laughs. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Pull those babies up and have yourself some dandelion tea.

"Do i have to?"

"You said you was hungry, so eat," Merle grabs a branch off the floor. "Come on, i'll show you how to light a fire." He sets out the branches and takes a pair of glasses from his pocket.

"You going to read me a story or something?" Rachel jokes.

"Funny, shortie. But no, you're gonna use this to light it, right after you've filled this up," Merle hands over a metal pan.

Rachel frowns. "With what? There's no water here."

"There's a river bout ten minutes west of here," he passes her a compass.

Rachel's eyes widen. "What if i get lost? Or i come across a herd of nippy little bastards?"

"I'm calling veto on that, okay. That name sucks ass. And you'll be fine, use your instincts," he pats her on the back.

"Yesterday you said i didn't have any instincts."

"Well prove me wrong then, shortie," Merle smiles.

Rachel looks at him, her heart pounding in her chest, then she nods.

She walks off, keeping an eye on the compass. Her eyes flit constantly from the compass to her surroundings. Sweat covers her temples, both from the heat and from raw fear. She hears movement in the distance. Rachel panics and drops the pan, turning in the direction she came. She stops herself, knowing full well that if she goes back empty handed, Merle will be furious. So she stands her ground, taking her knife shakily from her belt. A deer comes out into the clearing, a big one. Rachel breathes a sigh of relief. The deer looks her way for a moment, then goes back in the direction it came.

 

"I did it," Rachel announces proudly, as she makes her way over to Merle, placing the pan of water on the ground. "Well, i say that. I got halfway here, and dropped the pan. Had to go back to refill it."

Merle smiles at her. "That's a beautiful story, shortie. How bout we get this fire started?"

Rachel nods as she kneels beside him. "Why can't we just use matches?"

"Cos you might not always have matches. You gotta learn to use what you can. Now, you're in luck, cos there's just enough sun coming through the trees. That's why i put the fire here. Take the glasses," Merle hands them to her. "And put a little drop of water in the centre. Then focus between that and the sun, until you get a little dot. You wanna make it as small as you can, go on."

Rachel puts a drop of water on the glasses and does as he tells her. She holds her hand out for a minute. "You're not going to give me anymore advice?"

"Nope, you'll get it on your own."

"I don't know, nothing's..," she sees smoke out of the corner of her eye. "Bloody hell! It's working!" A look of amazement crosses her face.

"It sure is, shortie."

She carefully places on more tinder as it lights before her eyes. "I did that," Rachel announces proudly.

Merle nods. "Come on, i'll show you what to do with these," he points at the dandelions. Rachel grimaces just looking at them. Merle chuckles lightly. "You can eat these raw, you wanna try one?"

Rachel raises an eyebrow. Seeing it as a test, everything seems to be a test with Merle, she takes it from him. Rachel doesn't give herself time to think about it as she pops the head in her mouth, pulling it off with her teeth. She pulls her face. "Jesus fucking Christ!" She mumbles through a mouthful of dandelion.

Merle laughs. "You'll be alright after that. Desensitized yourself, this'll taste much better."

"Hmm," she grimaces, trying her best to chew quickly.

 

They sit side by side, sipping the dandelion tea.

"Not too bad. Much better than chewing on the bloody thing raw," she smiles. "It'd be much better if we had some meat to go with it. I thought you'd be teaching me how to hunt?"

Merle turns to her. "First of all, you don't even have a weapon to hunt with. And second, hunting isn't for everyone. It's best you learn the basics, shortie."

"Can't i use your gun?"

"No, you can't. Not for hunting. You don't even know how to use one for starters," Merle says.

"I won't if you don't teach me," she reasons.

"You find your own weapon, and i'll teach you how to hunt, that sound fair?"

Rachel nods. "Yeah," she smiles. "It does."


	5. Chapter 5

Rachel browses the library, impressed with their selection of books. She'd fully intended to find something on survival, maybe something to do with plants. But instead she'd found a copy of Wuthering Heights, and had been reading it for the last twenty minutes. She likes the library. It's quite and empty, a good place to think.

The library door creaks open. Rachel hears no such thing, her mind being a million miles away.

"You like that one?" A voice startles her.

Rachel closes her book, looking up at the governor. "Yes, it's my favourite," she smiles nervously.

"It was always a favourite of mine. I never did understand why women liked Heath so much, until i got older that is," he smiles. "For some reason, women love assholes."

"I think it's more to do with the fact that you saw how he became the way he was, and his undying love for Kathy," Rachel disagrees.

"I wouldn't be so sure, every asshole i ever knew had a beautiful woman hanging off his arm," he says.

Rachel gets up from her seat. "Well you're probably right then. I should get going, i've got stuff to do."

The governor places his hand on the bookshelf, blocking her path with his arm. "How about you join me for dinner?"

Rachel glances at him. "I can't, i've got lots to do."

"Well that's alright. I'm the guy in charge here," he smiles. "I'm sure i can allow you the day off. If you're having dinner with me that is."

"I.. i don't want the day off. I like to keep busy," she smiles nervously.

The governor moves closer to her. "You sure about that?" He asks, his breath hot against her face. His eyes look her over greedily.

The door to the library swings open and Rachel breathes a sigh of relief.

The governor balls his hand into a fist, clenching his jaw.

"Hey," Merle says, looking from the governor to Rachel. "You're wanted at the gate," he says to him, his eyes flitting between the two of them.

"What now?" The governor asks in frustration, taking his hand off the bookshelf.

Merle shrugs. "No idea, it was Martinez."

The governor grunts before turning back to Rachel. "Let me know if you change your mind," he smiles, before leaving. But his smile, as she's noticed before, doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"You alright?" Merle asks, his eyes unsure.

"I.. i'm fine," Rachel stutters.

"Don't look fine. In fact, i'd say you look scared. He do something?" Merle asks sincerely.

Rachel lets out a deep breath. "It's nothing. I guess i'm just a little jumpy since.. you know. Those guys in the woods."

Merle walks over to her slowly. "Ain't jumpy round me. Can't fool me, shortie," he places a hand against her shoulder. "Jesus Christ! You're shaking," he frowns. "Come on, sit down."

Rachel sits down and Merle sits beside her, resting his amputated arm on the table.

"Don't go feeding me a line of bullshit, cos i'll know," he says.

"He didn't do anything, he just asked me to dinner.. but," she hesitates.

"But what?" Merle raises an eyebrow.

"I just.. i got the feeling that he wouldn't take no for an answer lightly. But maybe that's in my head?" She says.

Merle sits back in his chair, exhaling deeply. "I can't say one way or the other, sugar. But if i were you, i'd steer clear of him."

"I thought you said he was alright?"

Merle nods. "He is.. but. Men in power often think they're owed something. I seen him with a lotta women, which ain't my business. But stuff like that, goes to a man's head. Makes him feel entitled, if ya now what i mean?"

Rachel nods, playing nervously with her hands. "Well he's not entitled to me."

"No, he's not. But i hear what you're saying. You don't wanna rock the boat when you got things so cushy here. How bout i tell people we're together? That way he won't ask again."

Rachel giggles, her cheeks blushing.

"What? You too good for the likes a me?" Merle jests.

"God no," her eyes widen. "I didn't-,"

"Calm yourself, shortie, i'm just yanking your chain. Course a girl like you is well outta my league," he chuckles.

"Don't say that," Rachel frowns. "You wouldn't mind though?"

"You shitting me? People think i'm with you they'll be patting me on the back. And the women'll flock around me like flies on shit."

"Really?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Hell yeah. Women love a guy that's taken. And if they see someone as pretty as yourself with the likes a me, they'll wonder what i got going for myself."

"So you're cheating on me already?" Rachel jokes.

"What can i say? I'm a dirtbag," he smiles. "How bout we get the fuck outta here? Teach you some more shit?"

Rachel nods gratefully. "Yeah, i'd like that."

 

They wander through the same town they'd gone through a few days before. Rachel taking out any biters that came by, with an ease she never imagined she would have been capable of.

"Don't like the pit fights, do ya?" Merle asks.

Rachel had been to watch the fights for the first time the night before. First she'd been horrified, then she'd walked off in disgust. "No, i don't. I think they're barbaric."

"Come on, shortie. This whole damn world's barbaric," Merle reasons.

"It's dangerous," she says.

"Ain't dangerous," he shakes his head. "Governor takes out their teeth so they can't bite."

"That's not the point. There were kids there."

"Good! Teach em not to be afraid," Merle says.

"But that's just it. They _should_ be afraid. The dead aren't a toy, this isn't a bloody game. Being afraid keeps you alive, you said that yourself," Rachel points out.

"I did?" Merle asks, confused. "Maybe you shouldn't be listening to me, i can't remember shit."

Rachel smiles. "I listen to _everything_ you say, Merle," she turns at the sound of a biter.

"Here, i got it. Don't wanna get rusty," he says, heading over to it. He pushes his knife under it's chin. "Come on, sugar. This way," he gestures towards a house, wiping his knife on his pants.

 

They both go from room to room, checking for the dead. Once the house is cleared, they rummage through, grabbing anything they can find, which isn't much.

"Oh wow!" Rachel gasps. "Look at those!" She points towards a trio of samurai swords on the fireplace.

Merle walks over, grabbing a sword and pulling it from it's sheath. "Nah, ain't nothing more than a toy. Could sharpen it all day, still wouldn't cut through a piece a paper."

"You're joking," she frowns, disappointed.

Merle shakes his head.

"What about that?" Rachel asks, pointing to the other wall.

Merle turns his head and walks over. He takes down a set of bow and arrows, looking them over. "These are good, we'll take em back with us."

"Can't i have them?" She asks.

Merle stops in his tracks, turning to her with a smile. "You ever shot an arrow?"

"No, but i could learn."

"Sugar, using a bow ain't like using a gun," he frowns.

"So you can't teach me?" Rachel says, her face dropping.

"Now hold up there, i didn't say that," he says, almost offended. "Just that, it's hard. Especially if you ain't a natural. All sorts comes into play with bows. Gotta have strong arms for one."

Rachel looks down at her arms, scraggly little things that they are. "I could strengthen them though."

Merle raises an eyebrow. "You sure bout that? Cos i ain't gon waste my time trying to teach you how to use this, if ya ain't gonna take it seriously."

"Course i will. Haven't i taken everything you've taught me so far seriously?"

"For the most part," he nods. "When ya ain't cracking jokes that is."

"I promise i'll take it seriously. That'll be a perfect weapon to start hunting with, won't it?"

"It will," he stands there a few moments, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Alright, i'll teach ya how to use it."

Rachel practically jumps off the floor with excitement.

"But! Only if i think you're taking to it, else there's no point," Merle adds.

Rachel beams as she walks over to him, throwing her arms around him. "Thanks,Merle."

Merle looks down at her a little uncomfortably, quite clearly not used to being hugged. "Yeah yeah. You say that now, but i'm a hard ass. Ain't gon be easy."

 

As soon as they'd gotten back to Woodbury Rachel had been eager to start using the bow, much to Merle's annoyance. She'd surprised him instantly though. Once she'd gotten the hang of holding it, her aim was pretty good. The only thing she'd been lacking was power, which he'd told her she'd need to work on. As he watched her getting better with each arrow, he smiled deeply. That was until she complained about her hands, so he left her to it for awhile, hoping that she'd still be at it when he got back.

Merle rummaged through one of the storage cupboards, hoping they'd have what he wanted. "Jackpot!" He smiles as he pulls out a pair of black fingerless leather gloves.

"Looking for something?" Comes a voice from behind him.

Merle turns swiftly, face to face with the governor. "Just these," he holds up the gloves.

The governor frowns. "Are those for Rachel? I just saw her with a bow, what's going on?"

"She asked me to teach her to shoot arrows. She's pretty good, considering she never even held a bow till today," Merle says.

"Why would she want to learn to use a bow?" The governor frowns.

"Same as everyone else, to protect herself. She asked me to apologise on her behalf for earlier," Merle says, his gaze dropping briefly.

"For what?" He asks.

"Me and her are kind of.. a thing. She felt bad refusing your offer of dinner," Merle says.

The governor stares at him. His eyes go dark and cold, a look Merle knows only too well. Then he laughs, his eyes softening slightly. "You and Rachel?"

"Yeah," Merle chuckles. "Can hardly believe it myself."

"You're not the only one," he laughs. "Jesus! How in the hell did you get a girl like that?"

Merle shifts his feet, plastering a fake smile on his face. "No idea, just lucky i guess."

"I'll say," he pats Merle on the back. "Well, you must have something going for you."

Merle nods, laughing uncomfortably.

"Anyway, i'll leave you to it," the governor smiles as he head off.

"Seeya," Merle nods, gritting his teeth.

 

Merle watches Rachel practicing. He smiles as she hits more targets than she misses.

"Alright, that's enough now. You done good today," he says. "Here, i got something for you. Should help you a little."

He hands her the gloves. "Thanks, Merle. These are great!" She smiles.

"Yeah yeah. Come on, let's get you something to eat, shortie."


	6. Chapter 6

_(Author's note. I want to put a warning on this chapter as i briefly address Merle's racism. I've painted Merle in quite a good light. But i think it's important not to sidestep the fact that he is indeed racist. I apologise in advance if i upset or offend any of my readers.)_

"Come on, i want at least two more," Merle says as he reads his book, his feet up on Rachel's chair.

Rachel nods, sweat pouring off her body. Her muscles ache, but she refuses to give in as she does another chin up, even though her arms and shoulders are screaming at her.

"Come on, shortie. One more and you can come sit down," Merle says, his head still in his book.

Rachel pulls herself up once more then drops from the doorway of her apartment, her breath heavy. "I.. hate exercising."

"Good," Merle smiles. "You can get started on this then while you rest," he throws a hand grip on the table.

Rachel's face drops as she tries to catch her breath. "You're evil, you know that?"

Merle smiles. "Yep! I sure am. Come on, sit yourself down."

Rachel sits at the kitchen table and takes the hand grip, slowly squeezing it. "I'm rubbish at all this."

"Don't sell yourself short, sugar. You're doing a hell of a lot better than i thought ya would. Don't forget, it won't be this extreme forever. Ain't try'na make you into no bodybuilder. Once your strong enough, it's all just maintenance after that. Ain't that hard to maintain something once it's there."

Rachel nods, taking a sip of water as she continues squeezing the grip. "I'm getting better with these grippy things."

"I can see that. Remember, if you're out there, you'll have to improvise. Ain't hard," he says, closing his book.

"What you reading?"

"A clash of kings, it's pretty damn good. Woulda made a good movie if the world hadn't gone tits up," Merle smiles.

"Did you have a favourite film?"

"Nah. Never did like watching television, rots your brain," he says.

"You must have watched something?"

Merle tilts his head. "I quite liked westerns, but that goes without saying."

Rachel attempts to hold in a laugh.

Merle raises an eyebrow in mock offence. "Something funny bout that?"

"No," she struggles to hold back a smile. "So like, Clint Eastwood? Stuff like that?" She asks, trying to show an interest.

"Meh, John Wayne was a helluva lot better," he says.

"I've never seen a western.. unless you count Shangai Noon," she says.

Merle frowns. "That piece of shit? That ain't no western."

"It's got cowboys, and Indians. How is it not a western?"

"Cos it ain't realistic. That China man wouldn't a lasted five minutes in the real west," Merle points out.

"Why?"

"Cos people like that didn't mix with us back then, just didn't happen. Much better time if you ask me," Merle sneers.

Rachel throws the hand grip at his chest.

"Ow! What the hell!" Merle yells.

"Don't say stuff like that!" She frowns.

He stares at her confused. "Why not?"

"Because it makes you sound like a stupid piece of shit! That's why," her chair screeches as she gets up, storming off to the bathroom. She sticks her head out of the door. "And, Jackie Chan would've kicked you right into next week!" She shouts before slamming the door.

Merle sits at the table and removes the knife from his stump. He sharpens it, clenching his jaw until Rachel comes out of the bathroom. "You done having a hissy fit?"

"Don't do that," she frowns, sitting opposite him.

"What you want me to say, uh?"

"Something smart instead of something dumb," she says.

"Look, it ain't like i'm going round burning crosses on lawns," he frowns.

"What, anymore?"

"Look, i work alongside all kinds of people-,"

"So that makes it okay then?" She cuts him off. "Maybe you should go have this conversation with them?"

Merle grits his teeth. "Hey, i didn't have no nice upbringing. You think i'm bad you shoulda met my old man. You try sitting there listening to someone rave constantly bout that shit! It's ingrained in me."

"That's bullshit!" She sneers. "My father was _exactly_ the same, you don't see me saying crap like that. I saw him for what he was, a stupid mean arsehole who the world would be better off without. You define who you are, Merle. Not your dad."

Merle breathes deeply, running his hand over his face. "I'm trying, okay," he looks up at her, his face sincere. "I know you went through some shit like i did growing up. Think i saw that in you early on. Survivors can see that in one another i think. But when you've spent your entire life having something beaten into you, it's hard to shake it."

Rachel's face softens slightly. "Well try harder. Is Daryl the same way?"

Merle shakes his head. "Nah. I'd never tell him this, but he's stronger than me in a lotta ways. Much like you are. You'd like him, he's the sweet one."

"You think i'm strong?" She smiles.

Merle rolls his eyes. "Well, you're a stubborn ass, i'll give you that."

 

Rachel walks through the woods alone. It had been Merle's idea, and when he'd first suggested it, she'd been horrified. But this was her fourth outing alone, and she was gradually becoming more confident each time. She surprised herself each day with how well she was adapting to the world, and she was thankful for Merle, knowing that she wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. It irritated her that someone so seemingly smart, could also be so dumb and simple minded.

It was about an hour off dusk, and she figured if she didn't catch whatever she was tracking soon, she'd head back. Her second outing had been in the dark, but that was a small town not far from Woodbury. The woods were different, or at least she thought they were. The slightest breeze, or the snap of a twig would have her on edge. Her worry of getting lost in the woods if she panicked and ran, still weighed heavy on her mind. Merle had taught her how to find her way without a compass, but she still didn't quite trust herself. Coming from a small English town didn't help. Everything over here was so much bigger, and she still struggled to get her head around the difference.

The homesickness was the hardest part. The people she had left behind. Rachel tried not to think about that, because it hurt too much, and has Merle had pointed out, there wasn't a thing she could do about it.

But each time she went out alone, she began to think that maybe she was made for this world. With every biter she took down, she found herself feeling more capable, like she had a purpose once again. The same went for every new thing that she learned. With every new thing, she hurt a little less.

Rachel sees something in the distance. With the darkness almost near, she was unsure as to what till she got closer. It's a boar, grazing on some grass. Rachel readies her bow. This isn't her first time catching a wild animal, but it is her first time catching one alone. She aims, only pulling back once she's sure she has it in her sights. Then she releases. The arrow goes through it's head and it drops to the floor.

"Yes!" She cheers to herself as she heads over to the boar. As she stands above it, a sudden realisation dawns on her. "Oh.. you.. idiot!" She scolds herself as she looks the boar over. It's easily over a hundred pounds, probably weighing as much as herself at a push. She sits on a fallen log smoking a quick cigarette, of which she'd cut down dramatically.

Rachel is unsure if she can get it back by herself. But even if she could, she still had the curfew to contend with. Sneaking back in wasn't a worry anymore, as the governor had agreed to her leaving Woodbury, especially since Merle had told him she was an exceptional hunter. Rachel thought Merle had probably exaggerated on that one, but it got her out, and that was all that mattered.

Now, as she sits there looking at the boar, she wishes Merle had come. He'd carry it no problem, probably over his shoulder. She rests her head against her hand. "This is rubbish," she sighs. Rachel shrugs her shoulders, getting up from the log. She grabs the boars legs and begins to drag it. She figures they'll either open the gates or they won't. Secretly hoping that the promise of fresh meat will encourage them to do the former.

 

She sees the lights of Woodbury in the distance. It had taken her a full two hours to drag this thing back, having to stop twice to put down the dead. Rachel's entire body ached and she was slick with sweat, in spite of the cool night air.

"Hey," Martinez nudges Merle. "Biter."

Merle looks through the scope of his rifle. He smiles, a wave of relief washing over him. He had surprised himself with how fond he'd grown of Rachel. And the fact that she should've been back almost two hours ago had worried him more than he cared for. "It's alright," he says, lowering his rifle. Merle goes to make his way down the wall.

"Hey," Martinez says. "You know we're not supposed to open the gate."

Merle stares at him. "You wanna leave her out there?"

Martinez sighs. "Do it quick, before the governor sees."

Merle opens the gate, making his way over to Rachel. "Woah! Would you Look at that!" He smiles, glancing at the boar.

"That's why i'm so late. Took me about two hours to drag that bastard!"

"I'll bet," Merle smiles, picking it up off the ground and throwing it over his shoulders with ease.

They head back through the gate, Merle closing it behind them.

"Jesus! Is that a boar?" Martinez asks, his mouth salivating.

"Yeah, that's what took me so long," Rachel smiles proudly.

"Make sure you save some for me," he says.

"Will do," she nods.

"You want me to show you how to cut this up?" Merle asks.

"Really?" Rachel smiles.

"Yeah, bout time you learned. Bit different to cutting up rabbit and squirrel," he says.

 

Rachel's arms were coated in blood, along with her vest and knee high socks. She had been squeamish at first, much like when she'd first cut up squirrel. But she'd gotten used to it half way through, listening intently to Merle.

"I stink!" She grimaces.

Merle chuckles lightly. "Yeah, you do. But that's the smell of hard work. You should be proud, shortie."

"I am," she smiles. "Listen, i got you a present while i was out."

"You did?" Merle raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, come by mine in about an hour or so. Hopefully i'll smell better by then," she laughs.

"Alright, i'll seeya later," Merle nods before she heads off.

 

Rachel towel dries her hair as she walks through her apartment. Her clothes still soaking in the bathroom, she'd thrown on a pair of sweatpants, which felt strange now, and a vest.

"Don't just stand there looking pretty," she smiles at Merle. "Come in."

"You're damn hilarious, you know that?" Merle laughs as he enters her apartment.

"I won't be a sec, just need to wring my clothes out," she says as she heads to the bathroom.

Merle follows her, standing in the bathroom doorway. "Here, i'll do that."

Rachel smiles. "Well aren't you sweet. I didn't realise you were so domesticated."

Merle grabs her skirt from the tub. "I ain't sweet. But i am stronger than you, which means i can wring these quicker. That way, i can see what you got me," he smiles as he wrings out her skirt. "This going up here?" He points to the curtain rail.

"Yeah," she nods.

Rachel rummages through her rucksack as Merle joins her in the kitchen. "Here," she smiles, pulling out a bottle of whiskey.

Merle smiles as he reads the label. "Damn, shortie! Where the hell did you find this bad boy?"

"That crappy town we went through, thought you'd like it," she smiles.

"I do, this is some good quality scotch," Merle says, turning it over in his hand. He opens the kitchen cupboard, grabbing two glasses.

"I don't know about that, i'm not much of a drinker," Rachel says.

"I haven't touched a drop in months, so i'll probably amount to the same," he says as he opens the bottle.

Rachel shrugs her shoulders and sits down at the table.

 

It doesn't take much before they're both nicely tuned in. For every glass Rachel drank, Merle had two.

"I tell you somethin, that sombitch lucky i din't go back an kick his teeth in," Merle says matter-of-factly.

"Your accent gets stronger when you're drunk," Rachel smiles.

"I ain't drunk," Merle says offended.

"No, me neither," she laughs.

"But, what i was tryna say, before y'all interrupted me. Is.. shit, i don't even know," he smiles, downing the rest of his drink.

"I never saw my father again after i left either. I'm not sure what i would've done though if i did," she says.

"If i saw your old man i'd kick his teeth in. Daryl an i was boys, don't go treatin girls like that," he says in disgust.

"No one should be treated like that," she points out. "You ever get married? Have kids?"

Merle laughs. "Hell naw. Probably got some kids floating round i don't know bout. They're better off not knowin me."

"Don't say that," Rachel says softly. "You've got your flaws, granted. But you're not a bad guy. You're trying. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. You didn't have to save me, but you did. I'll never be able to pay you back for that, for everything."

"You're starting to sound like a damn chick flick," Merle laughs uncomfortably. Rachel leans across the table. Merle stares at her, his eyes widening as she kisses him. He pushes her shoulder gently. "Hey," he shakes his head. "Don't do that."

Rachel looks at him confused. "I'm sorry," she says, looking away in embarrassment.

He turns her head towards him. "Hey, don't be sorry. You're well outta my league, shortie. But we ain't like that. I don't want us to be like that. You're like my baby sister or some soppy shit. It'd just be weird," he smiles.

Rachel laughs, relaxing once again.

"Come on, let's finish the rest of this bottle," Merle smiles.


	7. Chapter 7

"I've got it," Rachel says, readying her bow. She releases her arrow sending it straight through the biter's head.

"You're gettin real good at that," Merle smiles.

Rachel jumps down from the wall. "Open the gate, that was my last one." Merle opens the gate for her as she goes to collect her arrows. Out of the six arrows she has, five are buried deep in the skulls of the dead outside Woodbury. She heads back inside climbing back onto the wall. "Those women alright?"

Merle nods. "Yeah, they're fine. Blondie wasn't lookin so good when she got here, but she'll be alright."

"Did she say anything about Daryl?"

"Nothing that'll help me find him," Merle frowns.

"Did she not say where she saw him last? Surely you could try? You're like a bloodhound when it comes to tracking," she smiles.

"I could try, but it'd be like lookin for a needle in a damn haystack. I got people here that need me," he says.

"In other words, the governor won't let you," Rachel sneers.

"Hey, watch how loud you're talkin. I told you bout that before, careful what you're sayin, walls have ears," he warns her.

"Sorry. But i'm gathering from that response that i'm right."

"Don't nobody tell me what to do, specially when it comes to my kin. It's like i said, shortie. Ain't no proper lead. Blondie and her woman friend been out there all winter," Merle points out.

"You think they're going to stay?" She asks.

Merle shrugs his shoulders. "Be suicide if they leave, guess that's up to them."

"I like that girl with the dreads," Rachel smiles.

"Why? Cos she don't get on with the governor?" Merle laughs.

"Pretty much," she nods. "That and her sword is really cool."

Merle holds up his knife hand. "What? Cooler than this?"

"Nothing's cooler than that," she smiles. "How's that guy you brought in?"

"He don't look too good. He told us where his people are so we're gonna go out soon, see if they're still there."

"Can i come?" Rachel asks.

Merle's eyes widen briefly then he shakes his head. "No, shortie, you're needed here."

She tuts, rolling her eyes. "You chat shit, i know exactly what it is."

"What's that, shortie?"

"It's because i'm a woman, the governor never has women with him when he goes out," she says.

Merle laughs. "Maybe you're right, either way yain't comin."

 

Rachel sits on the steps outside her apartment building sharpening her knife. She hears footsteps and looks up. "Hi," she waves at the newcomer. "I'm sorry, i don't know your name."

"Michonne," she nods, a cautious look on her face.

Rachel stands up tucking her knife into her belt. She holds out a hand. "I'm Rachel." Michonne takes her hand shaking it briefly. "Heard you were out there all winter. You must be tough."

"I get by," she says.

"You think you'll be staying?" Rachel asks. Michonne looks at her a little uncomfortably. Rachel nods. "I don't like him either," she lowers her voice. "He.. He makes me feel uncomfortable and.. i just don't trust him. He smiles too much."

Michonne smiles a little herself at that revelation. "You think you could convince Andrea of that?"

"Is that the woman you came in with?"

Michonne nods.

"Probably not, he has a way of sucking people in. It's hard not to be sucked in by this place though, i mean, look at it," Rachel holds out her arms. "This is the first time i've felt safe since this whole thing started."

Michonne raises an eyebrow. "I've seen you on the wall, you seem pretty capable to me."

"I wasn't when i first got here, i was pathetic to be honest. Everything i've learnt i owe to Merle."

"Merle? You're joking?" Michonne laughs.

"I can see why you'd think that. He has a way with words, i'll say that," Rachel smiles. "Whether you decide to stay is up to you, but.. i'll be honest, if it wasn't for Merle, i'd probably leave."

 

Rachel sits in her apartment her nose stuck in a book as she squeezes her hand grip. She looks up from her book as the front door swings open. "Hey, Merle."

"Damn, i thought you'd have dinner on the table," he jokes.

She closes her book tossing it onto the coffee table. "Ha ha," she gets up from the sofa. "I'll make something if you're hungry?" Rachel frowns as she takes a good look at him. "What happened to your nose?"

"Went out on a run earlier, ain't nothin," Merle says.

"I heard you came back alone. What the fuck happened?"

"Biters got the better of us, i got lucky."

"What were you even doing in the red zone?" She looks at him suspiciously. "Is this to do with Michonne? I heard she left."

"Ain't gonna waste time lookin for her, she made her choice, can't exactly drag her back here," he says.

"So what were you doing out there?"

"Damn, shortie. If i didn't know any better i'd swear you were my old lady. What's with all the questions?"

"Well can you blame me? You keep brushing me off. Like when you went out to find those army guys and they were all dead," she says sarcastically using air quotes.

"Look, you're better off being none the wiser, shortie. Now, if the offer of foods still on the table, i'll take it," he drops down on the sofa sticking his feet up on the coffee table.

Rachel rolls her eyes and heads for the kitchen.

 

She sits on the steps outside her apartment smoking a cigarette. Merle had been distant lately, like he was hiding something. Rachel was sure it had something to do with the governor, but didn't it always?

"Hey," Martinez smiles as he walks past. "Don't you know there's a curfew."

"What, you going to tell on me?" She smiles.

"Not if you got another one of those," he nods at the cigarette hanging from her mouth.

Rachel digs in her shirt pocket, pulling out a battered packet of smokes. "Here, she holds them out. Martinez takes two, placing one behind his ear and the other in his mouth. "Woah, i didn't say you could have two."

Martinez laughs as he leans against the railing beside the step. "Saves me askin for another later."

She'd spoken with Martinez a few times and he seemed alright. But she was always careful not to share her opinions of the governor with anyone but Merle. "You been out today?"

"Nah, enough shit needs doing here. Goin out a run tomorrow, you should come with us, we could use your help."

"I'm not sure the governor would like that. He never likes me going out with you guys," she frowns.

"Really? Well that's a shame, Merle says you're good out there," Martinez says.

"The governor doesn't mind me going out on my own or with Merle because i've gotten good at hunting. But other than that," she shakes her head.

"The governor only likes people he can trust, people that are willing to do what needs to be done."

"And what is that by the way?" She asks.

"You ask too many questions," Martinez laughs. "It's a shame, you'd make a great soldier. Merle was right to take you under his wing."

"I ask too many questions?" She smiles. "I didn't realise that was a bad thing."

"The governor wants men that'll do what needs doing no questions asked. Sometimes it's better not knowing. You think about shit too much you'll start to wonder whether you're doing the right thing, and before you know it, somebody makes that choice for you and you're dead," he says.

Rachel flicks away her cigarette. "I just don't-," A gunshot close by silences them. "Was that from here?"

"Sounds like it," Martinez frowns as he takes the rifle from his shoulder. "Ain't on the wall either."

They both run down the street into a cloud of smoke. Rachel feels someone tug at her shirt, pulling her down to the ground.

"Get down!" Merle yells at her. "You tryna get shot? Here," he hands her a rifle.

"What's going on?" She shouts.

"Some asshole group attacking us! Now come on, put that rifle to use, close to your shoulder like i taught ya!"

Rachel nods as she crouches behind the barricade. She struggles to see anything through the smoke. Faint shadows in the distance catch her eye. She raises the rifle but crouches once again as a shot flies past her head so close she swears she felt the wind off it. She aims and fires rapidly, not even sure if she's hitting anything. "I'm not hitting anything!"

"Just keep firing! You'll either hit someone or they'll have the sense to leave! We'll push em out if we have to!"

Rachel nods as she fires the rifle almost blindly into the smoke. They fire shots back, Rachel ducking just in time. Her heart pounds against her chest. This isn't like with the dead. These are actual living people, and for every shot she fires a part of her hopes her bullets miss their target.

Rachel doesn't have time to think, because unlike the movies everything doesn't slow down, it speeds up. The gunfight is over within a matter of minutes. She vaguely sees people scrambling over the wall, and though she has a clear line of fire she doesn't shoot. "They all gone?" She shouts, her ears still ringing from the gunfire.

"I think so," Merle says as he lifts his head, getting a good look around. He steps up from behind the barricade not sure what to do next.

Rachel grabs him and pulls him to one side. "Do you know that group?"

He frowns. "Why the hell would ya think that?"

Rachel lowers her voice. "Because you missed every single shot you fired at them and you knew i wouldn't shoot at them either."

"Come on," Merle pulls on her arm heading towards an alley. He stands in front of her looking almost panicky. "You were right about the governor, he ain't right in the head," he lets out a deep breath. "That's officer friendly's group."

"What? That Rick guy who cuffed you to the roof?"

"Yep, that's the one," he nods.

"And you wasn't shooting at him because..?"

"Cos Daryl's with him," Merle says.

"Holy crap! Really?" She asks, her eyes wide.

Merle nods. "I've known where he was for a while, followed Michonne out to the red zone. I lost track of her an came across Glenn and his woman, he said Daryl was with them."

"Why didn't you tell me this? And i fucking new the governor sent you out to find Michonne! Did he send you out to kill her? Would you have killed her?" She stares at him in disbelief.

"Jesus Christ! One question at a damn time, and keep your voice down!" He frowns. "He did send me out to kill her, an if ya want the truth then yeah, i probably would've, she ain't nothin to me."

Rachel's face drops.

"Don't look at me like that. Weren't nothin personal."

"How can you say that? It's a person's life we're talking about. She never did anything to you, why would you do that?" Rachel looks at him in disappointment.

"Governor's orders. I can see you're lookin at me like i'm a piece a shit."

"Yes, i am," she says, her eyes beginning to water.

"Look, like i said, weren't nothin personal. And she made it out."

"No thanks to you. What would you do if the governor ordered you to kill _me_? Would it be _nothing personal_?"

"Hey, that ain't fair. An no, i wouldn't, that'd be my cue ta leave," he says sincerely. "Look, i don't have time for this, shortie," he says softly. "Shit's just gone down, an my baby brother's right in the middle of it. The governor's gon give me a choice, an i'll choose Daryl every damn time. You said you wanted ta leave here, right?"

Rachel nods.

"We gon leave tonight. Head for my brother's group. We won't be stayin with em, not that they'd have me anyway. It'll just be you, me, and Daryl. Don't need anyone else, three of us will get by. You with me?"

"I'm with you," she smiles.

"Good. You go get your bow and pack whatever shit ya can fit in that bag a yours, i'll meet ya here in twenty," he says before heading back out of the alley.

 

Rachel had been waiting impatiently in the alley for fifteen minutes. She smokes a cigarette as she leans against the wall. Rachel hears crowd noise in the distance. _Pit fight?_ She thinks. _Why the fuck would they be having a pit fight?_ She flicks away her cigarette and heads towards the pit.

"I asked you where your loyalties lie. You said here, well prove it. Prove it to us all."

Rachel stands in the distance struggling to see what's going on. She sees the governor and he's hurt, a blood stained patch covering his eye.

"Brother against brother. Winner goes free. Fight, to the death!"

"What the fuck?" Rachel mouths, her eyes widening. She tries to break inside the circle but Martinez stops her.

"I wouldn't do that, just make it worse," he warns her. "Who you think the governor's gonna be coming for once he's finished with those two?"

Rachel takes a step back staring at him coldly.

Merle holds his arm up. "Y'all know me. I'm gonna do, whatever i gotta do," he turns to his brother knocking him off his feet. "To prove my loyalty, is to this town!"

Rachel watches on in horror as the two brothers fight one another. She wants more than anything to step in, but like Martinez said, she'd just make it worse. Rachel watches as the governor's men bring biters into the pit. Just as she thinks that Merle has gotten the better of his brother, they both stand together back to back. They fight the biters, the spectators screaming as the dead fall into the crowd.

Rachel turns her head as she hears gunshots. Another smoke bomb goes off as someone begins shooting at the lights. Rachel keeps her eyes on Merle and his brother, not wanting to lose sight of them as the cloud of smoke gets bigger. The people of Woodbury scream as they run off in all directions. She goes to run towards Merle but the dead block her, so she runs towards the other empty streets of Woodbury, hoping to slip out down a side alley.


	8. Chapter 8

Rachel collects her arrow from the dead things skull, wiping it on one of her socks before placing it back in her quiver. She quickly finishes eating her rabbit before kicking dirt over the fire and heading off.

She finds a stream, taking her socks off and washing them. A branch snaps as she washes herself, she turns, seeing another biter. Taking out her knife she walks over in her bare feet, putting an end to it's miserable existence. "Shit!" She frowns, her hands covered in biter crap. Rachel washes herself again, rinsing the dirt from her feet in the cool stream. She takes a quick scan of her surroundings then takes off her underwear, washing her intimate places whilst her panties and bra soak in the stream. Digging in her rucksack she takes out her spare undergarments, grateful that she'd had the sense to pack them.

She walks through the woods, her wet clothes hanging from the strap of her rucksack. She'd no place in mind, having spent the last week looking for Merle and coming up with nothing. She guessed she wasn't that good of a tracker, but it didn't help that the dead were plentiful and they kept mucking up any possible trails. Rachel had been careful at first not to stray too far from Woodbury, but eventually she had ventured further, figuring that Merle would stay as far away from Woodbury as possible. She could kick herself for not asking Merle where Daryl's group were based.

She stops abruptly, glancing at the floor. Kneeling, she takes her hand and brushes away some fallen leaves. Her eyes widen as she sees a very clear footprint. Rachel looks ahead seeing a possible trail. She follows it cautiously.

Rachel had been following the trail for almost two hours. She was almost certain it wasn't a biter, but her hopes that it was Merle were quite a stretch.

"Why you followin me?"

Rachel looks ahead, her eyes meeting with a crossbow. Her hand hovers over the knife on her belt. "I'm looking for someone."

"Ain't no one out here but us an the dead," he says, still aiming the crossbow at her head.

As he lowers his aim slightly she recognises him from Woodbury. "Hey wait. You're Daryl, right?"

"Who wants to know?" He asks, refusing to lower his bow any further.

"I'm Rachel. I was at Woodbury."

At the mention of Woodbury he raises the bow to her head once more.

Rachel raises her hands. "I was looking for Merle. You're his brother, right?"

Daryl's stern look falters. "If you were looking to kill him you needn't bother, he's dead."

Rachel lowers her hands, her face grave. "How?" She asks, her mouth dry.

"Governor. Merle went to find him and kill him. The governor got to him first. He shot him and left him to turn. I had to put him down myself," he says.

Tears fall down her cheeks. "I.. i'm sorry."

Daryl brings his crossbow down, confused as to why someone other than himself would shed tears for his brother. "You with him or somethin?" He asks, confused.

Rachel shakes her head, wiping at tears with the back of her arm. "Not like that. But.. he taught me everything i know," she says, tears falling once again.

"Merle did? He never did anythin if there weren't somethin in it for him," Daryl frowns.

Rachel laughs a little. "Yeah, he comes across that way doesn't he.. or he did," she glances at the ground. "He was a hard man to love, but i loved him anyway."

Daryl looks at her bemused. "You sure we're talkin bout the same Merle?"

Rachel nods. "He saved my life you know. He didn't have to, but he did. And he carried me all the way to Woodbury."

Daryl shakes his head in disbelief. "Doesn't sound like Merle at all."

"Yeah, well he did, and he taught me a load of stuff. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," she says.

They stand there in silence for a few moments, assessing one another. Daryl breaks the silence. "How many walkers you killed?"

Rachel looks up at him. "You might as well ask how many times i've drawn breath today," she jokes.

"How many people you killed?"

She looks at him uncomfortably. "Two."

"Why?"

"It was them or me," she answers honestly.

Daryl stares at her a moment before throwing his crossbow over his shoulder. "You wanna come with us?"

"Who's us?"

"I'm part of a group, we have a prison not too far from here. We took in all the people from Woodbury."

"Really?" Rachel asks, raising an eyebrow.

Daryl nods, holding the strap of his bow. "A lot's happened since you've been gone. Governor went crazy, shot up a bunch of his own men."

"Jesus!" She looks at Daryl. "What's the leader of your group like?"

"His name's Rick, and he's a good man. We're good people," he assures her.

Rachel wasn't so sure Rick was a good man, not if Merle's opinion was anything to go by. Of course, Merle did have a habit of exaggerating. She stands there, still trying to process that Merle is gone. But who better to be around than his brother? She nods. "Alright, i'll come."

 

She rides through the gates of the prison on the back of Daryl's motorbike. As she steps off she looks over the prison. It doesn't have the appeal of Woodbury but it looks safe, which is a rarity these days.

"Rick!" Daryl shouts.

Rachel turns her head as a guy she guesses is officer friendly heads their way.

"Hey," he nods at Daryl. "Who's this?" He asks as he glances at Rachel.

"This is Rachel, found her out in the woods," Daryl says.

"Hi," Rick smiles. "You're lucky Daryl found you, easy to get lost out there."

"I wasn't lost, i was tracking Merle," she frowns. Rick stares at her, confused.

"She was at Woodbury, she left the same night Merle did. Apparently they were close," Daryl says.

Rick laughs in disbelief.

"Something funny?" She scowls.

"No, i just.. wouldn't have thought he was anyone's type, that's all," Rick says.

"It wasn't like that, and i don't think you should be making fun of him, not when his brother's right there," Rachel says almost bitterly.

Rick opens his mouth, glancing from her to Daryl. "I'm sorry."

"So you should be," she turns to Daryl. "Is there somewhere i can get my head down? I'm shattered."

Daryl nods. "Come on."

 

Rachel lies on the moth eaten mattress staring at the cracks in the ceiling. She gets a sickly feeling in her stomach as it hits her that she won't see Merle again. Tears roll down her cheeks, her lip trembling.

"Rachel," Daryl calls from outside.

She wipes at her eyes, swinging her legs over the side of the cell cot. "Yeah?"

Daryl pushes the makeshift curtain to one side. He glances at her, looking away quickly as he can tell she's been crying. "I brought you somethin to eat, thought you might be hungry," he says, placing the tray on the floor in front of her.

"Thanks," she offers him a weak smile.

He leans against the cell door. "Don't take what Rick said to heart, he didn't mean anythin by it. Merle weren't the easiest person to get along with, you should know that."

"I know," she smiles, taking a deep breath. "It's just a bit raw, nobody gets time to grieve anymore."

Daryl nods. "He ain't the only one that's surprised someone cared bout Merle other than me."

Rachel nods. "When he found me, i was being attacked out in the woods by two men, if you could call them that," she sneers. "He killed them both then carried me all the way back to Woodbury. Merle took me under his wing, kept the governor away from me. Showed me how to shoot arrows, how to hunt. He even helped me kill my first.. what did you call them?"

"Walkers."

"Walkers, i like that much better than biters," Rachel smiles. "He was good deep down, once you got past all the bullshit."

"He was his own worst enemy, that was his problem. Hell, at times he was a total douchebag. Makes me feel better to know he weren't like that all the time, that he helped you like that," he smiles.

Rachel nods. "I'm glad he didn't take Michonne to the governor, good to know he died clean. I guess that's something."

Daryl nods. "You must be a quick learner. Merle never was patient, he must've seen something in you."

"He must have. I'm glad he did. I knew nothing before i got to Woodbury. Don't think i would've made it out there if i hadn't met him."

He smiles. "I'll leave you to eat, or sleep, whichever comes first."

"Thanks, Daryl," she smiles as he heads out.

 

Her stomach full she heads outside, getting some much needed fresh air. It's dark out, the only signs of life being a shadow at the guard tower and Rick off in the distance doing his rounds. She heads over to Rick.

"Hey, wait up," she says.

Rick turns to her. "Hey, you sleep any?"

She shakes her head. "I wanted to apologise for earlier, i was just being overly defensive. I know how he was, but he was good to me."

"It's alright," he nods. "I get it. You just took me by surprise, that's all."

"Well i hope there's no hard feelings?" She asks.

"No, not on my part," Rick says.

"Do you think we'll see him again? The governor?"

Rick looks off in the distance then shakes his head. "No, i don't think we'll be seeing him again. He's lost all his people, burned down his town, he's got nothing to come back to."

"Michonne obviously doesn't think so," Rachel points out.

"After everything she went through with him who can blame her? It's like a personal vendetta to her. I'm not sure that she'll stop, she should," he says.

"I hope she finds him, he doesn't deserve to live. I'd be out there myself if i knew where she was."

"I think we need you here," Rick smiles. "Daryl says Merle taught you how to hunt. We got a lotta mouths need feeding. Maybe you go out with him tomorrow, see who catches the biggest squirrel?"

Rachel laughs. "I doubt i'll catch more than Daryl. Merle always said that Daryl was better at hunting than he was. Of course, he told me never to tell Daryl that."

"I'm sure you'll do just fine," he smiles.

"I'm gonna get my head down, i'll see you tomorrow," Rachel waves as she heads back inside the prison.

"Seeya," Rick nods.


	9. Chapter 9

Rachel walks through the woods with her bow and arrow following a trail. She hears a rustling ahead and smiles as she catches sight of a deer. Before she has a chance to draw her bow the deer drops, a bolt going straight through it's side.

"Shit! How the hell did you get in front of me?" She smiles at Daryl.

Daryl shrugs his shoulders. "I'm that good," he smiles.

"Show off," Rachel smiles.

"Did you catch _anythin_?" Daryl teases.

"Yes," she says, averting her gaze.

"What did you catch?"

"A bird," Rachel says.

"You mean like a Turkey?" He asks, rising an eyebrow.

Rachel looks at her feet. "A pigeon."

Daryl laughs. "A pigeon?"

"Yes! A pigeon. I don't see what's so funny about that?"

"No, you're right. That pigeon's gon be well appreciated back at the prison," he teases.

"If you're going to be like that then i'll just eat it all by myself," she says.

"Fill your boots," Daryl jokes. He turns at the sound of a walker. Daryl aims his crossbow and shoots, the bolt going straight through it's eye. "We should probably head back."

"I don't think so," she frowns, shaking her head. "I'm not going back with nothing to show for myself but a bloody pigeon."

"Shouldn't be so hard on yourself," Daryl says sincerely. "You were trackin it just fine. I've been learning to track since before i could walk. I can see why Merle trained you up, you're a natural."

Rachel smiles. "Thanks. Maybe i'll get lucky and come across some more pigeons on our way back?" She jokes.

"Maybe?" He smiles. "So how long you been usin that bow?" Daryl asks as they walk slowly back towards the prison.

"I found it while i was out with Merle, he said he'd teach me how to use it, as long as i took it seriously and didn't waste his time of course."

"Hey, wait. How long were you at Woodbury?" Daryl stops in his tracks.

"Erm.. six months maybe?" She guesses. "It's hard to keep track of time these days."

"You didn't shoot arrows before?" He asks. Rachel shakes her head. "So you've only been usin that thing for what, four months?"

"Pretty much," Rachel nods.

"Damn! You use that thing like you've been doin it years, i'm impressed," Daryl smiles.

"Thanks.. again," she smiles.

 

"Daryl catch that?" Rick raises an eyebrow as he opens the gate.

"Yeah, but i've got a bagful of pigeons," Rachel says as she take off her rucksack.

"Pigeon," Rick nods humorously. "That sounds.. great."

"Are you mocking me?" She frowns with a smile.

"No," Rick shakes his head. "Absolutely not."

"Hey, she did good. Come on, let's go cut this up," Daryl says.

 

"She looks a little young to have had a baby," Rachel says.

Daryl shakes his head. "That's Beth. She's just lookin after lil asskicker, ain't hers," he says through a mouthful of food.

"Lil asskicker?" Rachel raises an eyebrow.

"Judith, lil asskicker sounds better though. She's Rick's. Her Mom didn't make it," Daryl says.

Rachel glances down at her food. "I'm sorry. Is the kid with the hat Rick's too?"

"Yeah, that's Carl. He was there when Lori died, his Mom. Had to put her down himself."

"Jesus!" Rachel frowns. "No kid should have to go through that."

"He's a tough kid," Daryl says.

"I'm sure he is," she smiles sympathetically. Rachel gets up and grabs her bowl. "I'm going to go see if they need any help on the fence."

Daryl frowns. "Don't have to do that. You only just got back from huntin."

"I want to. Helps to keep myself busy, i sleep better."

Daryl nods. "Just don't tire yourself out."

 

"You need an extra pair of hands?" Rachel asks the women currently elbow deep in walker crap.

A girl with brown, shoulder length hair turns towards Rachel, her eyes squinting. "Sure. The more the better. Take your pick," she points towards an array of weapons on the ground before turning back towards the fence.

Rachel smiles as she watches her plunge a crowbar straight through a walker's head. "It's nice to see women doing something other than washing clothes."

She laughs. "No, there's no sexism here. But they still got us doing all the hard jobs," she turns to Rachel and offers her hand. "Maggie."

"Rachel," she smiles as she shakes her hand briefly.

"That's Carol and Donna," Maggie points towards the others.

"Hi," Rachel waves at them. They wave before quickly returning to the task at hand. She grabs a crowbar almost identical to Maggie's and follows suit of the others. "They always build up like this?"

"Yeah, it's getting harder to keep on top of them. It's almost like they can smell us in here," Maggie frowns as she pulls her crowbar from a walker's head. "Didn't you just get back from hunting?"

"I did, but i like to keep busy. Also, it's good exercise," Rachel smiles. "My arms are killing me already."

 

Rachel stares at the cracks in the ceiling. Almost her entire body ached yet she hadn't slept a wink, her mind constantly replaying her last conversation with Merle. She sits up, swinging her legs onto the floor.

 

Daryl watches Rachel climb over the prison fence unnoticed. Unnoticed except for him of course. He follows her.

 

Rachel walks aimlessly through the streets of a rundown town, the same town she'd walked through with Merle once upon a time. She steps inside an old pet food store and grabs a few pieces of dried floorboard, stuffing them in her rucksack. As she walks out she puts down two walkers with her bow, quickly collecting her arrows and replacing them in their quiver.

She stands in the middle of the street staring up at the tall buildings before she heads towards one, climbing the fire escape right to the roof. Daryl watches her from a distance. A small part of him is worried that she may be working with the Governor, so he waits. He watches as she lights a small fire on top of the building, maybe for warmth, maybe to cook something? His instincts tell him that she's grieving, that maybe this is her way of dealing with it? But when he thinks of his brother, even with everything she said about him, he still finds it hard to believe. That Merle could mean that much to someone other than himself. He waits for a good hour, taking out three walkers in the process, then he heads towards the building.

The fire has almost dwindled to nothing as he steps onto the roof. He walks towards her with a frown then smiles briefly as he sees her sleeping. Daryl sits crosslegged in front of the fire, taking a chunk of wood and placing it on as he warms his hands. The fire pops and Daryl hears the sound of a gun cocking. "I know ya don't have no bullets in that," he smiles without turning.

"Jesus, Daryl," Rachel frowns as she sits up, lowering her gun. "You almost gave me a heart attack. What are you doing out here?"

He turns to her. "Could ask you the same?"

She sighs. "I couldn't sleep."

Daryl nods. "Your not leavin us are ya?"

Rachel shakes her head. "I just needed to clear my head. It doesn't seem real in there. I know that probably sounds stupid. Roof over my head and i come out here to sleep."

"Don't sound stupid at all. Sometimes i lie awake for hours just wonderin how long it's gonna be before someone takes that place from us," Daryl says. "An i ain't slept proper since Merle either."

Rachel smiles. "Did you follow me out here because you thought i was meeting the Governor?"

Daryl laughs. "Damn! You're good at reading people aren't you."

"Just a little," she smiles. "I guess i can't get mad at you for thinking that. I'd probably think the same."

"It's not like i really believed that. I just found it hard to believe my brother actually meant something to someone."

"Well he did," she smiles.

"I can see that. Makes me feel better about him, like he wasn't a complete douchebag after all. He helped someone when he didn't have to," Daryl frowns slightly. "Were you two ever.. ya know, together?"

Rachel laughs. "No, we weren't."

"I just find that really hard to believe."

"Why's that?" She asks.

"Because it's Merle, i don't think he ever did anything for a woman if she weren't doin something for him in return, and.. ya know.. you're kinda alright lookin," he says, his cheeks blushing.

"Wow, kinda alright looking. I think that's the best compliment i've ever had," she says sarcastically.

"You know what i mean," he smiles.

"I'm just going to sleep here, i'll be back before just after dawn," she says.

"Alright," Daryl takes the rucksack from his shoulders and lays on his back, using it as a pillow.

"You're babysitting me?" Rachel smiles as she raises an eyebrow.

"Shh, i'm try'na sleep here," Daryl smiles as he closes his eyes.

"Night then," she smiles as she rests her head against her own rucksack.

"Hmm," Daryl grunts.

 

Rachel's eyes flicker open as the sun begins to rise. She rolls over onto her side to find Daryl hunched over the fire. "How long have you been up?" She asks as she rubs at her eyes.

"Long enough to cook us breakfast, come on," he gestures towards the fire.

Rachel stumbles her way over, taking a small metal pot from him. "Thanks."

"How'd you end up here?" Daryl asks.

Rachel stares at him, confused.

"It's obvious from your accent that you ain't from here," he adds.

"I was visiting my Aunt, everything kicked off just after i got here," she says before spooning a piece of meat into her mouth.

"You get homesick?"

"Don't really have time to get homesick, but sometimes. Everything's bigger here. You can step into the woods to pee and before you know it you're lost. I mean, Georgia's probably half the size of the entire UK," she laughs.

"I see your point," Daryl smiles as he chews his food.

"Jesus, if i had a bullet for every time Merle yelled at me for going to touch something poisonous, we wouldn't have a walker problem," Rachel jokes.

"I'm surprised he didn't just let ya touch it. He was an asshole like that, make ya learn the hard way. Probably went easy on ya cos you're a girl," Daryl says.

Rachel finishes her food and takes the gun from her belt.

"We got plenty ammo for that at the prison. You're one of us now, all you gotta do is ask," Daryl says.

Rachel smiles uncomfortably. "I don't really know how to use it," she says a little shamefully.

Daryl raises an eyebrow. "What? How's that possible?"

"Guns aren't an everyday thing where i'm from. Up until the world turned to crap i'd never even seen one in real life," she says.

"Merle didn't teach ya how to shoot?" Daryl frowns.

"He took me out a couple of times, but guns are definitely not my strongest point. I don't like them."

"Ya don't have ta like em, but you gotta know how ta use em. Yeah, you could probably get by with that bow a yours, but not if we were at war with someone. With people like the Governor out there, it might come to that."

"I suppose it will," she says.

"Why don't we head back an i'll show ya the basics," he offers.

Rachel smiles. "Sure."


	10. Chapter 10

Rachel aims the pistol at the sign post, the gun hot in her hands. She fires, hitting the target.

"Good, think you're gettin the hang of it," Daryl smiles.

"About time," she frowns, turning to face him.

"Hey!" Daryl shouts, slapping her arm down. "Watch where you're pointin that thing!"

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just cut it out!" He snaps. "Always keep it pointin down."

"Alright, no need to shout at me," Rachel frowns.

"This ain't a toy," he says, gesturing towards the pistol. "You go swingin it round like a damn idiot you gon get yourself or someone else shot."

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Alright, Daryl, keep your knickers on."

"This ain't a joke, if ya ain't gon take this seriously then go roll right on back to the prison."

Rachel sighs deeply. "Sorry. Merle always quite liked my sense of humour."

"Well i ain't Merle."

"Yeah, i can see that. But i am sorry. This is all new to me, and i _will_ take it seriously, i promise."

Daryl nods. "Good," he takes a shotgun from a sack on the floor.

Rachel pulls her face. "Not that again, it hurts my shoulder."

"Ya need ta learn how ta handle all the weapons we have, same way ya learned ta use that bow," he nods.

"Yeah, but i'm thinking i won't accidentally kill someone from swinging my bow about."

"Maybe don't swing this about then," he smiles.

Rachel tilts her head. "Did you just do a joke?"

"No," he frowns.

"I think you did, just a little," Rachel smiles.

"Shut up," Daryl frowns, his mouth creeping up in the corners as he holds back a smile.

Rachel holds the shotgun against her shoulder and fires. She stumbles backwards on her feet, but Daryl is right behind her, his arms pushing against her back.

"Don't lean back, lean into it, an keep it tight against your shoulder," Daryl says, adjusting her arms. He stands behind her. "Again."

Rachel shoots, her body rocking slightly, but not as much as before. "That better?" She asks, pointing the shotgun down.

"Yeah," he nods. "You'll get used ta it."

"I'm not sure i'll get used to the ringing in my ears," she frowns.

"You will," Daryl assures her.

"We should pack up," Rachel says, nodding down the road.

Daryl turns, catching sight of a small group of walkers heading their way. He takes the shotgun from her and hands her a revolver.

Rachel takes it, staring at it like it's a bomb about to go off. "Where's the safety?"

Daryl rolls his eyes. "It don't have one. Just keep your finger off the trigger, unless you're aiming it at somethin," Daryl points towards the walkers.

"You want me to shoot at them?"

"Yeah, ain't too many. Push that," he says, pointing at the revolver. Rachel pushes the release and the cylinder pops out. Daryl hands her a small box and watches as she loads it. "Here," he hands out another six bullets. "Keep those in your pocket for when ya need ta reload, i'll show ya what ta do once it's empty."

He watches her load the revolver. "Point it that way or you'll give ya face a makeover."

"Sorry," she says, her hands a little shaky. Rachel closes the cylinder and aims at the dead. She pulls the trigger, not connecting with anything.

"Relax, this is the easy part, ain't nothin ta be nervous bout when it's aimed at them," Daryl assures her.

Rachel fires five shots, getting two walkers in the chest. "It's empty!" She says, raising her voice slightly.

"Open the cylinder," he says. Rachel opens it, two casings falling on the ground. "Now push that," he points.

Rachel pushes the ejector rod, the other casings dropping onto the road. She takes the six bullets from her pocket and reloads. Rachel manages to hit five walkers, but no head shots. She tucks the revolver into her belt frustratedly and takes her bow from her shoulder.

Five out of the six arrows are head shots. Daryl watches her with a smile, taking his own crossbow and putting down the other walkers. He goes to collect their arrows, handing Rachel hers as he heads back. "You're good with that."

"Thanks, i'm just annoyed that i couldn't get a head shot with this," she gestures towards the revolver.

"You'll get there. Ya just need ta get more comfortable with it, that's all. Can't be good at everythin," he points out.

Rachel wipes the walker crap from the arrows on her socks before placing them back in their quiver. "I suppose not. Are we heading back?"

"Yeah, don't wanna push our luck."

"Cigarette before we go?" She asks, taking a crumpled pack from her shirt pocket.

Daryl nods, sitting down at the side of the road. Rachel sits beside him, holding out a cigarette. "I didn't know you smoked," Daryl says, taking it from her.

"I keep trying to quit.. mostly when i can't find any," she laughs. Rachel watches him with a smile. "Are you with Beth?"

Daryl stares at her, confused, the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "What ya mean?"

"Like.. together, is she your girlfriend?"

Daryl frowns. "No, she's just a kid."

"She's older than eighteen, and age is just a number, especially now," Rachel points out.

Daryl shakes his head. "No, we ain't together."

"Oh," Rachel says, staring out at the road. "So do you have a girlfriend?"

"No," Daryl almost grumbles. "An what's with all the questions? You some kinda datin service?"

Rachel giggles lightly. "Christ, Daryl, i'm just trying to make conversation."

"Well naw, i don't have a girlfriend," he frowns, turning away from her.

"Boyfriend?"

Daryl stares at her. "I ain't gay."

"I'm just asking."

"Well i ain't," he frowns.

"Alright, you're not gay," she holds her hands up. "If you were though, then you shouldn't feel the need to hide it."

"I ain't gay!"

"Okay, i heard you," she says, rolling her eyes.

Daryl flicks away his cigarette, pushing himself up off the floor. "Cigarette break's over, come on," he gestures towards his bike.

~

They drive through the gates of the prison, Carl closing the gate behind them.

Rachel steps off the bike, attempting to fix her hair and failing. "Christ! I should've brought a hair tie," she frowns, pawing at her hair.

"Yeah, ya look ridiculous," Daryl smiles.

"Thanks, Daryl. You really know how to make a woman feel special," she says, sarcastically.

Daryl huffs and heads off inside the prison.

"Yeah, seeya," she whispers, watching him walk away.

"Everything go alright out there?"

Rachel turns round. "Hey, Rick. Yeah, it went fine. Well, as fine as it can be for someone who knows absolutely nothing about guns."

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it," he nods. "Daryl alright?"

Rachel furrows her brows. "I don't know. He doesn't talk much, does he?"

Rick drops his head with a smile. "No, he doesn't. He seems to like you though."

Rachel raises an eyebrow. "You could've fooled me, i think i pissed him off."

Rick shakes his head. "He gets like that, don't take it personally."

"You need any help out here?" She asks.

"You don't stop, do you?" He laughs.

Rachel runs a hand through her hair. "No, i like to make myself useful. Earn my place."

Rick tilts his head. "Hey, you _are_ earning your place. You're one of us now, you don't have to prove yourself."

"Well maybe i could do with getting my head down for a bit, thanks for that, Rick, i'll seeya later," she smiles.

~

_Rachel runs her finger along the row of books in the library, humming to herself quietly._

_"What ya doin?"_

_Rachel jumps a little, knocking a book off the shelf. She turns, seeing Daryl leant against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest._

_"I was just looking for something to read," she smiles._

_Daryl closes the door, stepping towards her. He leans down to pick up the book, reading the cover with a frown. "Is this a dirty book?"_

_Rachel stares at him. "No."_

_"Then why's there a guy on the cover with no shirt?" Daryl asks, almost shoving the book in her face as he raises an eyebrow._

_"I.. erm," Rachel's cheeks go red. "Maybe he's hot?"_

_"I'll bet," Daryl smirks. He places the book back on the shelf, his arm brushing against hers. "You always read shit like that?"_

_"No, i wasn't reading it," she assures him._

_"Ain't nothin wrong with it," Daryl says._

_"Really?" Rachel smiles._

_"Really," Daryl steps closer to her, his eyes looking at her almost greedily. "Don't need ta read no book though," he says, dipping his head as he brushes his nose against hers, running his fingers through her hair._

_Rachel grabs the back of his neck, her lips colliding with his. Daryl bites on her lip, pulling her head back as he trails kisses over her neck. "Daryl," she moans._

_"You like that?" He purrs, his breath hot against her skin._

_"Hmm, don't stop."_

_"Rachel..."_

~

"Rachel," Daryl shakes her.

Her eyes flicker open. "Daryl?" She says, feeling pretty disoriented.

"Ya gettin up or not?"

"What?" She says, confused.

"Ya told me ta wake ya."

"Oh," she says, rubbing at her eyes as she sits up. "Yeah, thanks."

"The hell were ya dreamin bout? Ya were tossin an turnin an all kinds a shit," he says.

"I.. i'm not quite sure, it's all fuzzy," she lies.

"Whatever, ya move your ass quick enough they got stew left over, it's pretty good."

"Cool," she smiles.

"Well? Ya comin or not?" Daryl frowns.

She stares at him, her cheeks going red. "Yeah i'll come.. down in a sec."

~

Rachel looks through the scope, trying her best to focus. She fires, missing the walker by the fence. "Shit!"

"Come on, ya wanna try an get one before dark, sun's goin down," Daryl frowns.

"I got one earlier," she says.

"Yeah, in the chest, so it don't count. This should be easy, ya just aim an shoot," Daryl says.

"If it was that easy then i would've got one by now, and will you shut up, you're distracting me."

"Yeah, maybe that's what it is," Daryl smiles.

Rachel throws him a nasty look, then aims once again. "Right, come on you, bastard!" She shoots, the walker dropping in the distance. Rachel stands up straight, a smile on her face. "Did you see that? I got it!"

Daryl shakes his head. "Nah, look," he points. "It's gettin back up. Ya musta got it in the neck, close though."

Rachel turns with a frown. "Shit!" Her eyes go further up the road. "Hey, is that Michonne?" She asks, pointing towards a car heading towards the prison.

"Yeah," Daryl nods.

Rachel makes her way down the guard tower before she has a chance to hear him.

Michonne gets out of the car, stepping towards Rick.

"Anything?" Rick asks, expecting no such thing.

Michonne shakes her head. "I'm gonna go back out first thing."

"You sure about that? Why don't you stay awhile, couple days won't hurt," Rick says.

"I can't, not while he's still out there, he..," Michonne looks over at the guard tower as a woman heads towards her.

"Hi," Rachel smiles. "You find anything?"

Michonne squints her eyes. "Weren't you at Woodbury?"

"Yeah, it's Rachel," she says.

Michonne smiles briefly. "That's right, you didn't trust him, did you?"

Rachel shakes her head. "No, i didn't. I didn't know about him sending Merle out after you either," she assures her.

Michonne nods. "Well i'm sorry to disappoint, but i didn't find him.. but i will."

"You going back out?"

"First light," Michonne nods.

"Can i come with you? I'm getting pretty good at tracking," Rachel says.

Michonne smiles, opening her mouth before Rick cuts her off.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he says.

"Why not?" Rachel frowns.

"We need you here. There's only you and Daryl that can hunt well, and we've got mouths to feed," Rick says.

Rachel's shoulders drop. She wanted more than anything to find the governor, and she knew that between her and Michonne, they stood a pretty good chance. "Daryl managed before i got here."

"Yeah, but he was struggling, we had people on tight rations, i don't wanna go back to that," Rick says.

Michonne turns to Rachel. "He's right. As much as i'd appreciate your help, we need you here."

Rachel nods. "I get it. It's just..,"

"You want him dead," Michonne nods. "If he's out there, i'll find him."


	11. Chapter 11

"Coffee," Rachel says.

Michonne stares at her with a frown. "We have coffee."

"I mean good coffee," Rachel smiles.

"Alright," Michonne says. "Spa days."

"Ooh, that's a good one. I could do with a spa day," Rachel laughs.

"Tell me about it. Well i'll be sure to look out for some good coffee when i go back out."

"You going out tomorrow?" Rachel asks.

"Tonight."

Rachel raises an eyebrow. "Tonight? But you only just got back."

"I know. And if i hadn't found those supplies, i wouldn't have come back so soon, i just..,"

Rachel nods her head. "I hear you, i'd be out there with you if they'd let me."

"You settling in okay?" Michonne asks.

"Yeah, it's only been, what, two months? Feels like a lot longer."

"Hey!"

Rachel and Michonne look down from the guard tower.

"What's up, Daryl?" Rachel shouts.

"I'm goin out, ya wanna come?"

"Yeah, i'll be down in a sec," Rachel says, resting the rifle against the railing. "Well if you're not here when i get back, i'll seeya. Just be careful out there."

"Sure, same to you," Michonne nods.

Rachel makes her way down the tower. "Where we going?" Rachel asks.

"Gonna take the truck, see what we can find," Daryl says.

"Can i drive?" Rachel asks, heading towards the driver's seat.

"No, ya can read the map."

Rachel throws her head back dramatically. "I hate reading the map, i'm crap at it."

"Which is why you're doin it, ya gotta learn," he smiles, getting in the passenger seat.

~

"Did we take a wrong turn?" Daryl frowns.

Rachel shrugs. "Don't think so."

"What d'ya mean ya don't think so? Where the hell are we?"

Rachel stares at him. "Read my lips, Daryl. _I, don't, know_."

Daryl steps on the breaks, grabbing the map from her. "I told ya ta pay attention."

"And i told you i was crap at reading maps, so looks like we both weren't listening," she reasons. "You know we are though, right?"

Daryl looks at her. "Course i do, ain't gotten lost since i was kid."

"So where are we then?"

Daryl looks down at the map, trailing his finger across it. He looks out at the road with a frown, turning at the sound of her lighter clicking. "Gimme one a those."

"Ask me nicely and i will," she frowns. He stares at her holding out his hand. Rachel huffs and passes him a cigarette.

Daryl lights it up, looking back down at the map. "Yeah, i'm good now, i know where we are. We'll keep headin this way," he hands her the map. "Just make sure ya follow that, okay?" He says, pointing at what looks to her like a squiggly line amongst a whole bunch of other squiggly lines.

Rachel rubs at her temples. "Daryl, i don't know what i'm doing."

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it, got better with handlin guns haven't ya?"

"I have, but i still don't like them," Rachel sighs. "So this squiggly line, that's what i'm following?"

Daryl laughs. "Yeah, the squiggly line."

~

They slow down as they near a small town, Daryl stepping out of the truck. He takes a pair of binoculars from the glove box, aiming them at the buildings in the distance.

"Looks like there's a few stores down there, might get lucky and it'll be untouched," he says.

"Yeah, and i'm a virgin," she frowns.

Daryl smiles, his cheeks going red. "We'll be careful."

"Well you're confident," she jokes.

Daryl turns to her. "Shut up, you're not funny," he says, placing the binoculars back in the glove box. "Come on," he gestures towards the truck.

~

They drive through the town, the stores quite clearly already looted, disappointment crossing their faces.

"Damn, i was hopin there might be somethin," Daryl frowns.

"Yeah, doesn't look too promising. What about that?" Rachel says, pointing towards what looks like a medical centre. "The doors are chained."

"Probably chained for a reason, cos there's walkers inside," Daryl says.

"Which means it might be untouched, we should check it out," Rachel suggests.

Daryl stops the truck, squinting as he gets a good look at the medical centre. "Ya might be right," Daryl opens his door, stepping out of the truck. "Come on, let's take a look."

Rachel takes her bow from the back seat and steps out, making her way towards Daryl.

They walk up the steps, Daryl leading the way. Daryl points his hand to the left, gesturing for her to check the other side of the building.

Rachel taps his shoulder. "Why didn't you just say that? It's not like the walkers will cotton on to our plan."

Daryl stares at her, clearly not amused.

"Never mind," she nods, turning to her left. Rachel makes her way down the side of the medical centre. She peeks through the window, shadows moving within. Rachel makes her way to the back, jumping a mile as she's met with Daryl's crossbow. "Jesus, Daryl! You scared the shit out of me," she frowns.

Daryl smiles as he lowers his crossbow. "Back entrance is chained up, just like the front. Don't look like there's too many in there. I think we can take em."

Rachel nods. "I agree."

"I'm gon cut the chains ta the front, make some noise an lead em out. Ya run outta arrows, use ya gun, an don't miss."

"Don't miss? Have you not got any better advice?" She frowns.

"Yeah, don't get bit," he says.

Rachel nods. "Great pep talk."

"Ya welcome," Daryl smiles, heading for the truck. He grabs a pair of bolt cutters and makes his way to the double doors, kneeling down as he cuts the chain. Daryl bangs on the doors with the bolt cutters. "Come on, assholes!" He shouts, taking a few steps back till he's level with Rachel. "Ya ready?"

Rachel nods, taking her bow from her shoulder. The dead slowly make their way out of the centre, snarling at the smell of fresh meat. Rachel draws her bow, shooting an arrow straight through the head of a walker. Daryl follows suit, a second dropping down.

There's more than they thought, the walkers continuing to stumble out towards them after their arrows are gone. Rachel takes out her gun, grateful for the silencer that Daryl had attached to it. She fires, frowning as she gets a walker in the neck. Rachel waits for the dead thing to get back up, shooting it clean in the head. She smiles, quite clearly pleased with herself.

"Hey," Daryl frowns. "Ya got one, how bout ya help me take out the rest before they're all over us?" He says, sarcastically.

"Sorry," she smiles, aiming her gun. Rachel uses the rest of her bullets, getting two more head shots, a chest, and a shoulder. She quickly reloads. But by the time she's ready to fire, Daryl has taken out the rest.

Daryl turns to her. "Ya done good," he nods, patting her shoulder.

"I did, didn't i," she smiles proudly, stepping through the pile of dead bodies to collect her arrows. "You think there's anymore in there?"

"Maybe?" Daryl steps towards the doors, listening for the tell tale sound of the dead. "Can't hear anythin. We'll be careful. Cover me."

~

They step inside, months of dust and decay filling their lungs. Daryl aims his crossbow from left to right as he steps cautiously through the waiting room, Rachel right behind him, her bow at the ready.

Daryl leans over the reception desk, a pile of bones on the floor behind it. "Looks like they had themselves a good meal," he says, turning to Rachel. "It's clear."

"What about down there?" She says, nodding towards a door leading to the doctors offices.

"Guess we'll find out. Check the restrooms out first, don't want no surprises," Daryl says.

Rachel checks one restroom out whilst Daryl checks the other. "Clear," she says, stepping out. "Stinks though, they could've done a courtesy flush."

Daryl smiles, heading towards the doctors offices. "Why d'ya do that?"

"Do what?" Rachel asks, walking behind him as he opens the door leading down to a corridor.

"Make a joke outta everythin?"

Rachel lowers her bow, staring at the back of his head. "I don't do it on purpose. Anyway, this world could use some humour," she says, bringing her bow back up. "Just because i'm not moody like you."

Daryl stops in his tracks, turning to her. "I ain't moody."

Rachel snorts. "Please, i'm lucky if i get more than a grunt out of you most days."

Daryl stares at her, trying not to grunt. "Whatever. Yain't even funny."

"Well i'm not trying to be, anyway, why don't we get back to focusing on making sure this place is clear?"

Daryl grunts, turning towards the first door in the corridor. He turns the knob, opening the door slowly. "Clear," he turns to her. "This'll go a lot faster if we split up."

"Ooh, i'm sure every horror fan would disagree with you there," Rachel says. He turns to her with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, i'll make a start on the other rooms," she gestures with her hand.

They meet back at the end of the corridor, all the rooms cleared.

"Ya find anythin?" Daryl asks, not sounding very hopeful.

Rachel smiles, gesturing towards a door in the middle of the corridor. She grabs a torch from her rucksack then opens the door, shining the light on rows of shelves filled with various bandages and bottles of antiseptic.

Daryl makes his way down the shelf. "Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Doxy-," Daryl squints his eyes.

"Doxycycline, you can use that to treat chlamydia," she says, matter of factly. Daryl turns to her, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I only know that from a friend.. of a friend," she assures him. "I'm being serious."

Daryl shrugs his shoulders. "Whatever, there ain't much, but it's better than nothin, let's get all this stuff in the truck."

~

They load up the truck, Daryl taking out two walkers with his crossbow. He collects his arrows, looking over at Rachel with a frown.

"The hell ya doin?"

"I'm driving,"she smiles.

"Don't think so," he frowns, heading towards the passenger side.

Rachel stands in front of the door. "I'm driving, you don't like it? Then it's going to be a long walk back to the prison for you."

Daryl grunts, making his way to the passenger side.

"Here," she says, passing him the map. "You can read me the directions."

Daryl shoves the map in the glove box. "Don't need no map, i know how ta get back."

~

They'd been driving for about a half hour, no one saying a word. Rachel hated silences, especially uncomfortable ones.

"So what did you do before?" She asks, her eyes not leaving the road.

Daryl stares out of the window, biting on his thumbnail. "Who gives a shit? It don't matter."

"I didn't say i gave a shit, i was just making conversation," Rachel says.

"Why?"

Rachel sighs. "Because that's what people do, Daryl. You know, exchange words, to pass the time. Jesus," she frowns, rolling her eyes. "The way Merle went on, it sounded like you two were just rolling around from place to place."

"So why ya askin then?"

Rachel shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe you weren't always together? Merle said he did some time, and he left when you were still young."

"Yeah, well Merle said a lotta things, don't mean shit."

"Fair enough," she says.

"Don't go thinkin ya know me, just cos ya was with Merle for a while, ya don't know shit."

Rachel nods. "I never said i did."

Daryl shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "The hell did Merle tell ya anyway? He tell ya stuff bout me?"

Rachel shakes her head. "Not really, except that you were the sweet one, though where he got that idea i'll never know. At least he was capable of actual conversations from time to time."

"Yeah, mostly cos he talked shit. He was always like that," Daryl says.

"Well he did talk some shit, i'll give you that. He always talked about your Mum after he'd had a few though, or _Mom_ , as you say over here."

Daryl stares at Rachel, her eyes still in the road. "What'd he say?"

"Not much, just that he wished your Dad had got caught in that fire instead of her," Rachel turns to Daryl. "Sorry, that was probably really insensitive, it just came out."

Daryl shrugs his shoulders. "It's the truth."

"Well both my parents were mean, i think Merle saw that in me," she says.

Daryl turns to her, watching her hands squeeze the steering wheel a little too tightly. "I don't like talkin bout before, don't see no point. I don't mean nothin by it."

Rachel nods. "I hear you. I don't really want to talk about before. That's what people ask you though, isn't it? _So what did you do before?_ " She says, mockingly. "Like it bloody matters? Unless you were a doctor, that shit matters."

Daryl nods. "How bout we agree not ta talk bout before then?"

"Okay," Rachel smiles. She drives on in silence, Daryl looking out of the window.


	12. Chapter 12

Rachel pulls her arrow from the walker's skull, wiping it over her sock.

"I think it's gone, the walker's must have spooked it," she says.

Daryl nods. "Too many of em pilin up against the fence, ain't gone find any this close ta the prison."

"You want to head back then?"

"Yeah, caught us a deer yesterday, pantry's full, ain't no sense in wanderin round here for nothin," Daryl says. "Ya got any cigarettes?"

Rachel shakes her head. "No, now's as good a time as any to quit, i guess?"

~

They head through the prison gates, Rachel empty handed, and Daryl with a few squirrels hanging from his crossbow.

"Squirrel again?" Carol says, jokingly.

"Since ya like that, yain't havin any," he smirks.

"Don't say that, it's my favourite," Carol says, mockingly.

Daryl grunts. "Come on, Rachel. We'll cook us up some stew, be much better than the tinned crap y'all are eatin," he smiles.

"Lucky me," Rachel laughs, rolling her eyes.

~

Rachel tears off the skin, something that used to go through her, but now she barely even looks at what she's doing, as if it's second nature.

She watches Rick in the distance, pulling at weeds and shovelling god knows what else into a wheelbarrow, she assumes to feed the pigs.

"Violet's not so lively today," she says.

Daryl looks up from the squirrel he's currently cutting up. "Violet? Who the hell's Violet?"

"Mummy pig," Rachel nods towards the pig pen. I think some of the kids have been calling her Violet."

Daryl stares at her with a frown. "They shouldn't be doin that, an ya shouldn't encourage it either."

"Chill, Daryl. They're just kids."

"How ya think they gon feel when we cook up old ma pig over there?"

"Well if they're hungry enough, they won't give a shit. It's just a name," Rachel frowns, cutting up her squirrel. She starts to giggle, covering her mouth with her arm in an attempt to suppress it.

"The hell ya laughin at?"

"Patrick, when he was talking to you earlier," she drops the pieces of squirrel into the pot. "Mr. Dixon.. Sir," Rachel doubles over, tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh Jesus, your face, it was hilarious."

Daryl struggles to hide a smile. "Shut up. Kid's respectful, ain't nothin wrong with that."

"I never said there was, still pretty funny though, even Carol thought so," Rachel smiles.

Daryl smiles. "Ya done with that?"

"Yeah, you want me to stew it up?"

"Yeah, i gotta go out on a run," he says, rising to his feet. "Make sure ya save me some."

"Really? I thought you said my stew was rubbish?"

"I've had worse," he shrugs.

Rachel grabs a piece of meat, throwing it at him. Daryl kneels down and picks it up, chucking it back in the pot. "Don't waste it," he smiles.

~

Rachel lies on her bed, hands tucked under the back of her head. She hears footsteps outside her door, catching sight of Daryl as her curtain blows in the wind.

"Daryl."

He steps back, standing outside her cell.

"How did it go?" She asks, sitting up on her bed.

He shakes his head. "We lost Zach."

Rachel's face falls. "Shit, does Beth know?"

Daryl nods. "Just got back from tellin her," he says. Rachel lifts up her mattress, pulling out a slightly squashed pack of cigarettes. Daryl raises an eyebrow. "Thought ya didn't have any?"

"These are for emergencies. We should step outside though, don't want Judith breathing in this crap."

They head outside, standing on a walkway in the dark of night.

"So what happened?" She asks, passing him a cigarette.

"We found somewhere, big shopping place, looked like there was plenty supplies," he shakes his head, blowing out smoke. "Roof must've been rotted, it collapsed, an a whole bunch a walkers came with it, Zach got bit, couldn't save him. It ain't right, man. He was just a kid, had his whole life ahead of him."

"Shit, i'm sorry. How did Beth take it?"

"She didn't seem that bothered," he frowns.

"She was probably holding back, trying to keep her guard up. It's easier not to let yourself feel it," Rachel says, looking off into the distance.

"Did you lose people?" He asks, his hair falling over his face.

Rachel stares at him, her eyebrow raised. "I thought you didn't see any point in talking about stuff like that?"

Daryl shrugs his shoulders. "Just makin conversation," he smiles.

Rachel laughs, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looks away from him. "I lost people," she shakes her head. "I don't want to talk about it though, i can't. I mean, i don't actually know for sure that i lost them, and i'll never get to know, because they're back in England, and i'm here," she closes her eyes, her fingers clutching at the chainlink fence in front of her. "I just can't."

Daryl nods, shaking his hair from his face. "I hear ya. Ya ever wanna though, i'm here."

Rachel turns to him with a smile. "Thanks, Daryl."

~

She wakes to the sound of a gunshot, her eyes wide as she jumps out of bed.

Rachel runs out onto the landing. "The hell is going on?"

Sasha runs past her. "Sounded like it came from the other cell block."

Rachel grabs her bow and arrows and races towards cell block D. As she runs in, people are running out screaming. She hears the familiar sound of walkers as she runs up the steps, making her way towards the upper cells.

Rick and Daryl are already there, their breaths heavy.

"What the hell happened here?" She frowns, looking down at the dead bodies of people she once knew. "Oh shit, is that Patrick?"

Daryl nods, leaning down in front of him. "Don't look like he's bit though."

"Carol said he was sick yesterday, was coughing like he had a cold," Rick says.

"How does someone die in a day from a cold?" Daryl frowns.

"I was just talking to him yesterday," Rachel says, standing outside his cell, her tone sombre. "He-," she jumps, turning towards Charlie's cell as he reaches through the bars with his dead fingers.

Daryl steps out, standing in front of Charlie's cell. He takes him out with a knife to the head. "What the hell?"

"Maybe he was bit?" Rachel says, looking at him through the bars.

Daryl shakes his head. "Nah, guy got into the habit of lockin his cell, he was a sleepwalker. Look at his eyes, looks like the same thing that got Patrick."

Rick opens Charlie's cell, Dr. Caleb right behind him. Caleb kneels down. "This could be flu."

"Flu?" Rachel frowns. "What kind of flu kills someone in a day?"

"The aggressive kind. We had stuff like this before, normally spread by birds, or pigs," Caleb says.

Rick rubs at his temples. "One of our pigs died last night, and when i was out in the woods yesterday, i saw a sick boar. You think it's the same thing?"

Caleb nods. "I'd say so. Is anyone else sick that we know of?"

"I.. i think David was coughing earlier," Rick says.

"Then we need to separate him from everyone else. Anyone who shows symptoms, even so much as a cough, needs to be quarantined," Caleb says.

~

After a restless night, Rachel stands in the guard tower. Both David and Karen had been quarantined for everyone else's safety. As she stands there, looking out over at the dead piling up near the fences, she wonders how many more will take ill. Rachel had sneezed a moment ago, and a part of her was grateful no one had been around to hear it, certain that they'd assume the worst.

"Hey!"

Rachel looks down at Daryl. "What's up?" He gestures with his head for her to come down. Rachel makes her way down the guard tower.

"Karen and David are dead," he says, sombrely.

"The flu?"

He shakes his head. "Someone dragged em out their cells, set em on fire."

"What?" Her eyes widen.

"We don't know who, but Tyrese and Rick got in a fight over it."

"I'll bet, Jesus," she frowns, running a hand through her hair. "Why would someone do something like that?"

Daryl shrugs. "Maybe they thought it'd stop the infection spreadin, either way, didn't work, more people are sick."

"What are we going to do?"

"We're gonna go out on a run. Hershel said there's a veterinary college, that's our only hope, need ta find some meds so we can treat these people. Michonne an Bob are comin, i managed to convince Tyrese. Got room for one more," Daryl says.

Rachel nods. "Of course."

~

They drive through the gates, Rachel sat between Tyrese and Bob. The car is silent, eerily so.

Daryl turns to Michonne, his hands on the wheel. "I know ya weren't runnin off. Thing is, trail went cold. Ya know that, right?" Michonne stares at him, nodding briefly. "If it were any different, i'd be out there with ya," he leans over, switching on the radio. "Hand me one a them C.D's right there."

The radio crackles, a broken voice coming through. Rachel's eyes widen. "Is that a voice?"

Daryl shushes her as he turns the dial, trying to get a clearer reception.

_"Terminus.. sanctuary for.."_

"The hell?" Daryl frowns. He looks up, his eyes widening as he sees a walker in the road. Daryl swerves, zigzagging along the road to avoid a few stray walkers. He stomps on the brakes, his eyes widening as he sees a herd in the distance.

Rachel looks through the back window as walkers surround the car.

"Grab somethin!" Daryl yells, as he puts the car in reverse, knocking over the dead. The car stops, Daryl stepping on the gas but not getting anywhere.

"Go to the left," Michonne frowns, trying not to panic.

Daryl shakes his head. "It's jammed up. Have ta make a run through the gaps right there," Daryl points, as he gets out of his seat, opening the sun roof. "Once ya make a run for it, ya don't stop for nothin, ya hear me? Now!" He yells, jumping up through the roof. He takes out a walker with his crossbow, sliding down the bonnet before he collects it.

Michonne jumps out of the passenger side, taking out three walkers with her sword.

Rachel runs out straight after Bob, taking out her knife as the dead are too close to draw her bow. A walker is mere inches from snapping at her arm before Bob shoots at it, Rachel giving him a grateful nod before she runs towards Daryl and Michonne.

Tyrese sits in the car, staring into the back of a headrest, or rather staring through it.

"Ty!" Bob shouts.

Rachel goes to run towards the car, but Daryl grabs her arm, pulling her back.

Tyrese rocks backwards and forwards before he jumps out of the car. He takes his hammer, swinging it at the sea of walkers surrounding him. "Go!" He yells.

Rachel's mouth goes dry as Daryl pulls at her arm once again. She relents, running through the woods with the others.

The dead are much more sparse in the woods, Michonne taking out most that come near easily enough with her sword.

Daryl stops as they come to a clearing. He turns around, placing his crossbow on the ground as he readies it. Aiming towards the trees as they begin to rustle, he shoots as two walkers come out.

Rachel breathes a sigh of relief as Tyrese is right behind them. That is until he falls to his knees. She runs over with Daryl, grabbing at his arm and pulling him up.

"Come on," Daryl says.

~

Rachel sits on the edge of a bridge, sharpening her knife. She looks over at Tyrese as he washes his bloodied shirt in the stream, his eyes cold. "Is he going to be alright?" She whispers to Michonne.

"I don't know, but we'll keep an eye on him."

Daryl makes his way over. "Come on, let's go."

"Ty, should be a town, few miles south," Bob says.

Tyrese doesn't look up, focused on the task at hand. "We lost the whole night. My sister, everybody else, they're probably dead."

Bob frowns. "Well it helps if we keep moving."

Tyrese looks up. "No, it doesn't."

Bob shakes his head and walks off.

Tyrese wrings out his shirt and drapes it over his shoulder, catching up with the others.

They walk along a dirt path, Tyrese rambling slowly behind them.

"So you were a combat medic?" Rachel asks, walking slowly beside Bob.

"Yeah," he nods.

"Christ, i bet this isn't much different to a war zone," she reasons.

"Not far off, except no one tried to eat anybody back then," he smiles weakly. "So what about you? What did you do before?"

Rachel shakes her head. "Nothing that's of any use now. I wish i'd done something that could be useful. You know, like being a doctor, or a nurse."

"It's never too late to learn," Bob smiles.

"I don't think you'd want me stitching someone up, trust me," Rachel smiles.

Bob laughs. "So you're British."

"Last time i checked," Rachel jests.

"London?"

Rachel shakes her head with a smile. "If i had a penny for every time someone said that.. well, i'd have a lot of pennies. Anyway, no. London's down South, i'm from up North."

"Hey," Daryl says.

Bob and Rachel look ahead of them, a few crumbling buildings covered in overgrown weeds.

"You see something?" Bob asks.

Daryl squints his eyes. "Don't know, maybe," he says, heading over towards the building. "Jackpot, we have a car," Daryl smiles, pulling apart some over grown weeds. "You clear this, i'll see if it's got any juice left."

~

Bob and Tyrese pull the weeds from the car as Daryl attempts to hot-wire it.

"No luck?" Rachel asks.

Daryl shakes his head. "Nah, we gotta find us a new battery," he frowns, walking towards the window of what looks like an auto shop. He spits on his hand, rubbing it against the dirt covered window, jumping back as walkers snarl from inside. "Got some friends inside. Come on."

The five of them begin clearing the overgrowth from the building, Tyrese hacking at the weeds relentlessly.

Daryl glances over with a frown. "Go easy. Don't know what we're dealin with," he says. A pair of dead hands reach through the weeds, clawing at Daryl's arms.

Rachel turns her head, her eyes widening before a second pair of hands reach out and grab her wrist. "Shit!" She draws her knife, slicing at it's hand in an attempt to loosen it's grip.

Daryl stabs the walker in the head, his breath heavy as he takes a step back.

As Rachel fights to get her hand back, the walker pushes it's head through the weeds, it's teeth snapping at her. She takes the opportunity to push the knife through it's skull. Rachel checks her wrist for scratches, breathing a sigh of relief when she comes back clean.

They stand together, eyes wide as they watch Tyrese pulling at a walker.

"Let it go," Michonne frowns, her sword ready.

Rachel readies her bow. "Ty, let it go!"

Their pleas fall on deaf ears as Tyrese pulls at the walker, falling backwards as the weeds eventually give, taking the dead thing with him. Daryl grabs the walker, pulling it off before Bob shoots it in the head.

Michonne stares at Tyrese. "Why the hell didn't you let go?"

He glances at her as if contemplating that very thought, then turns away.

~

Rachel helps Michonne and Tyrese remove the rest of the overgrowth from the car, her arms aching as sweat pours down her face.

"You should've let it go," Michonne says, hacking at the weeds.

"The hell you know about it, uh? You the damn expert?" Tyrese frowns.

Rachel lifts her head, watching the pair of them before she goes back to the task at hand.

"No, i just don't wanna see you die. Is that what you you're trying to do? Do you even know?" Michonne says, turning to him. "I know you're pissed, you have every reason to be. But anger makes you stupid, stupid gets you killed."

He turns to her, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you still angry? About the governor? What he did?"

Michonne nods. "If he was here right now, i'd cut him in half. Cos that's how it needs to be. But i'm not angry. I was"

"Then why you still going out looking for him?"

Michonne drops her head. "I don't know."

** Author's note **

**So i'm gonna wrap this up soon. The next chapter should be the final one, unless it's too long, then i'll split it into two. Thanks for reading. X**


	13. The Final Chapter

"Looks like we're gettin closer," Daryl says as they walk through streets of a long since deserted town.

"Building we want is just up ahead," Tyrese nods.

They near the college, Daryl taking his crossbow from his shoulders. Rachel draws her own bow, taking out a lone walker making it's way towards them.

They step through a set of double doors, quickly making their way down the corridor towards a classroom filled with animal cages and test tubes.

"Alright, let's make this quick," Daryl says.

Bob makes his way towards some shelves filled with an array of pills. "Anything ending with Cillin or Cin, C, I, N, grab it. We'll dissolve the pills in the IV's, put them right to the blood stream."

As Rachel shoves whatever pills she can find into her bag, Bob makes his way to the other side of the classroom. Michonne watches him with a frown. "You alright?"

Bob gets up from shoving whatever meds he might have found in his bag. "Yeah, i'm good," he nods, looking towards the door as Tyrese and Daryl come back with a bagful of meds each. "How'd you do?"

"Bags, connectors, everything on your list," Tyrese nods.

"What about you?" Daryl asks.

"Yeah, we got it all," Bob says.

"Let's roll," Daryl says, heading for the door. He pulls out his torch as they head down the dark corridor. He holds out his hand, the other's stopping as he peeks into a classroom full of walkers. Daryl gestures with his hand and they move swiftly, but not before the walkers catch their scent.

As the dead follow, they run into a dark room, Bob trying to close the door behind them.

"Hey, door's busted," he whispers.

Rachel tries to push against it with her shoulder, but it refuses to close. "Shit."

"There," Michonne nods towards an exit sign.

They stand in front of the double doors, a chain around the handles. As Daryl pulls at the doors, dead hands stretch through. He takes a step back. "How many?"

Michonne shakes her head. "I can't tell."

"Hey," Rachel gestures towards the door they just came through as walkers begin to stumble through it.

"We can take em," Tyrese says, holding up his hammer.

"No! They're infected. Same as at the prison. We fire at em, get blood on us, breathe it in. We didn't come all this way to get sick," Bob points out.

"How do we know the one's in there are any different?" Tyrese says.

Rachel shakes her head. "We don't."

"Luck's gotta change sometime," Daryl says before he breaks the chain, the doors bursting open.

It's not as bad as they thought, about six dead coming out, Michonne taking most of them with her sword. Light fills the corridor, Rachel squinting her eyes for a moment as they adjust. They come upon another locked exit as the dead begin to approach them.

Daryl looks at a window in the corridor, struggling to open it. Tyrese wastes not time, grabbing a fire extinguisher and throwing it through the window.

They all jump out onto a shelter, Bob coming out last. He falls, his bag dangling over the shelter, walkers grabbing at it.

"Bob, let it go!" Rachel yells.

But he refuses to, pulling at it till the walker releases it's grip. The bag lands on the shelter with a clink, Daryl raising his brow. Daryl kneels down, taking a bottle of alcohol out of the bag. "Got no meds in your bag? Just this?" He frowns, brandishing the bottle in front of Bob. "You shoulda kept walkin that day," he says before pulling back his arm.

"Don't," Bob says, his fingers brushing against the gun on his hip.

Daryl steps over to him, taking the gun from Bob. He presses his forehead against Bob's, squaring up to him, a look of disgust on Daryl's face.

"Just let it go, Daryl. Man's made his choice. Nothing you can do about it. Just gotta let it go," Tyrese says.

"I didn't wanna hurt nobody, it was just for when it gets quiet," Bob says, his voice shaky.

Daryl pushes the bottle against Bob's chest. "You take one sip before those meds get in our people, i will beat your ass into the ground, ya hear me?"

~

Daryl sits in the passenger seat of the car, rolling a piece of Jasper in between his fingers.

"You were right, what you said before, the trail going cold. I don't need to go out anymore," Michonne says from the driver's seat.

"Good," Daryl nods before he slams the car door shut.

~

It's dark before they get back, and they were relieved to find it wasn't all for nothing.

Rachel made her way to death row, the smell of sick and death burning into her nostrils. "Hey, Hershel," she smiles. "You need any help?"

"Aren't you tired? You just got back," Hershel says.

"If anyone should be tired, it's you. Staying here on your own, looking after all these people."

"I only wish i could've saved more," he says.

She places a hand against his shoulder. "You've done better than all of us could, so let me help."

"Alright, since you're so insistent," he laughs.

~

A few days passed by, the people on death row slowly but surely recovering from the sickness that had taken over the prison.

Rachel makes her way to the prison library, hoping to find a half decent book to take to bed.

"Hey, Rick," she smiles. He sits at a table in the library, his eyes red by the candlelight. "You okay?" She frowns.

"Yeah, why?" He asks bemused.

"You look like you've been crying."

Rick laughs as he holds up a glass. "No, that'd be one too many glasses of this."

"Ahh, i see," she smiles, walking over to the table and parking her ass on it.

"Want one?" Rick asks.

"Sure, why not. Celebrate things getting better for a change," Rachel smiles.

Rick pours her a glass, resorting to taking sips from the bottle.

Rachel takes a sip, looking into a dark corner of the library. "You been sleeping here?" She asks, pointing at a blanket and a couple of pillows.

He shakes his head. "No, i guess someone was though. Maybe they wanted to be alone? Away from everyone else?"

"You mean like they were trying to get their freak on without everybody hearing it?" She giggles.

Rick laughs, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe," he nods.

It doesn't take long for her to become tipsy, the whiskey warming up her empty stomach nicely.

"You think things will ever be like they were?" Rick says, sipping at the bottle of whiskey, his head rolling slightly.

Rachel shakes her head. "No. I mean, maybe we'll get to a point where we meet more people, and the walkers become less of a threat. But that'll only happen if we all work together, and people aren't so trusting these days."

"You think i should be more trusting?" He smiles.

"It's hard to say. Being cautious keeps you alive, but then there's no room to progress. You have to take a chance sometimes, otherwise things won't get better, they'll just stay the same."

Rick nods, his eyes dropping briefly to her thigh resting against the table. "So how are things with you and Daryl?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "We're getting along if that's what you mean?" Rick raises an eyebrow. "Jesus, is it that obvious?"

Rick laughs. "Yeah, well.. to everyone except Daryl. You should tell him you like him."

"Christ no, i'm not doing that. Don't want to scare the poor guy away. He's only just started having an actual two-way conversation with me," she frowns.

"It wouldn't be that bad," Rick smiles.

Rachel shakes her head. "Daryl's not like anyone i've ever met. I mean, i've thrown god knows how many sexual innuendos his way. But he either just snorts, or.. well no actually, he just snorts."

"He's missing out," Rick smiles, the candlelight flickering in his eyes as he gazes at her.

Rachel bites on her lip, a smiles crossing her face. "Obviously not, if it's not what he wants."

Rick gets out of his chair, holding onto the table for a moment as he steadies himself before making his way over to Rachel. She stares at him wide eyed, his fingers brushing through her hair. "Then he's crazy," Rick smiles before his lips collide with hers.

Rachel runs her hands though the back of his hair. She'd never looked at Rick in a sexual way, in fact, she'd never given him much thought at all, other than the fact that he was a great leader. But as his hands run greedily over her body, his tongue parting her lips as she wraps her legs around him, she can't deny it feels good. And though she'd much rather it were Daryl, she knows the odds on that happening are slim to none, so she gives herself to him.

~

Rachel's eyes flicker open, sun shining through the window. She frowns. _My cell doesn't have a window?_ She looks down at a hand resting against her waist. _Oh shit!_ Rachel turns, nothing between her and the cold hard floor but a thin blanket. Her eyes settle on Rick sleeping soundly, and seemingly naked at that. She pulls the covers over her head, her eyes wide as she recalls the night before.

Rachel slips out of the covers, standing naked in the library as she scans the room for her clothes. She spies her panties hanging off a bookshelf, stepping over quietly in an attempt not to wake Rick.

Almost fully dressed, she leans over to pull her boots on when Rick stares at her with a smile.

"Were you just gonna sneak out of here without saying goodbye?"

Rachel jumps, looking over at him as her cheeks go red. "Sorry, i just.. we were both pretty drunk last night."

Rick nods, leaning up on his elbows. "I know. I'm not gonna ask for your hand in marriage," he laughs.

"Can we just keep this between us?" Rachel asks.

"Sure. I mean.. it was great, but it was just a one off, i get it," Rick smiles.

"There's not going to be any weirdness between us is there?" She asks.

Rick shakes his head. "No, not at all. I'll seeya later."

Rachel smiles as she grabs her plaid shirt. "Seeya."

~

Rachel lies on her bed reading a book, trying to forget about what happened last night. It's not that she hadn't enjoyed it, far from it. It's that she didn't want things to get awkward, and things normally did once sex was involved.

The room vibrates around her, a loud rumble filling her ears as dust falls from the ceiling. "What the shit?" She frowns as she jumps up from the bed. Racing down the stairs, she heads outside as fast as her legs will carry her.

As she runs out the door she's sure her eyes are playing tricks with her, that or there's a tank outside the prison walls. She makes her way towards the others, wondering what the hell is going on. Before she gets to them she stops, squinting her eyes at the men outside the gate. _That's not..,_ but it is, the Governor standing there alive and well, and with an army of people from the looks of it. Not only that, but he has Michonne and Hershel.

Rachel makes her way over to Daryl as he passes guns quietly to the others.

"Daryl," she whispers. He turns to her. "You want me in the tower?" Daryl stares at her, chewing on his lip. "I'm a good shot now when i need to be."

Daryl nods. "Alright, do it quietly, and be careful."

She slowly walks out of sight of the Governor's people, making her way to the guard tower.

Atop the tower she grabs one of the rifles, quickly setting her sight on the Governor. She contemplates shooting him right there, ending him right now. But it looks to her like Rick's trying to talk to him, and with the Governor having two of their people, she can't blame Rick for trying.

She lifts her head from the rifle, trying to listen to Rick's words. It's pointless, and Rick should know it is. Rachel knows the Governor, and all the talk in the world won't make him back down. She watches Rick hold out his hand and tilt his head, his words a mumble to her.

Her eyes widen as she sees something she never imagined she would, the Governor lowering what she assumes is Michonne's sword. Then he raises it, bringing it down on Hershel's neck, Rick screaming out before he aims his gun and pulls the trigger, the rest following suit.

Rachel's eyes begin to water and her heart pounds against her chest. She wipes at her eyes and looks down the sight of her rifle. Rachel aims it towards a woman, but the woman ducks behind a truck, so she aims for the man beside her. She pulls the trigger, getting him in the shoulder. Rachel wastes no time before aiming once again, this time getting another guy in the neck.

She grips the rifle tightly, her mouth suddenly watering as her stomach rolls. Going against all her natural instincts, she shoots at another guy running towards the prison, getting him in the leg.

As she looks through the scope, scanning from right to left, her eyes widen. "Oh shit!" She takes a step back as the tank turns in her direction. _Run! For Christ's sake run!_ And she does, practically jumping down the steps of the guard tower.

An explosion echoes through her ears, throwing her away from the tower just as she clears it. She lands with a thud, her hands and knees taking most of the impact. Rachel rolls onto her back, trying to catch her breath as she looks at the remains of the guard tower. She gets up, wanting to make her way to the others, but dead fingers claw at her arm. Rachel takes the knife from her belt, sending it into the walker's skull before it drops to the ground.

Walkers come at her from all directions, the only safe direction being the woods. "Fuck!" She yells, running into the woods.

~

It took her about two hours to lose the dead. Once she'd lost them, she'd sat by a river, washing the grazes on her hands and knees. Rachel had been surprised and grateful that she had come away from the prison with nothing more than a few grazes.

She had slept in the woods, waiting till dawn before she had returned to the prison. Rachel hadn't gone inside. It had been clear from the mess outside that no one was there, so she'd headed in the direction she thought Daryl might have gone in.

After a few miles of trying to track the mess that the dead had left, she'd rested again, digging through her rucksack and coming back empty. She had looked over at a patch of dandelions and smiled. "Fuck you, Merle. I bet you're laughing at me aren't you?" She says as she plucks up the dandelions.

After making a small fire, she boiled the dandelions, chewing on them with a grimace once they were done. Rachel had put the left over water in a couple of bottles and gone on her way.

~

She steps through the woods, drinking from her bottle. Rachel turns her head as a branch snaps, taking the gun from her belt.

"Woah, put that thing down. I just wanna talk."

Rachel stares at the dirt covered man in front of her, his arms raised. "Go on then, talk," she says.

"Why don't you put that thing down first?" He smiles.

Rachel squints her eyes, taking a step closer. "What's that?"

"What?" He frowns.

"On your forehead," she gestures with the gun.

He smiles, his teeth a nasty shade of orange. "It's a mark, to show who i am."

"And who are you?" She sneers.

"A wolf."

She pulls the trigger, the bullet going straight through his skull. Rachel looks down at him, her jaw clenched. Killing people at the prison had felt wrong, but this felt right. She'd seen first hand what they could do. Maybe this one hadn't been like the others, but there was no way she was willing to risk it.

Rachel walks off with not so much as an ounce of guilt. After a couple of miles she comes across a woman lying naked on the ground, her insides spilled all over the dirt. The woman lifts her head, though she isn't a woman anymore but a walker, a W carved into her forehead. Rachel puts her out of her misery and finds some branches to cover her nakedness before moving on.

~

She'd been alone for about three weeks at a guess, when she sees smoke rising in the distance. Rachel heads in that direction, hoping it's someone from her group.

Her head shoots to the right as she hears voices in the distance.

"You fucking fucks are dead! You have no, fucking, idea, who you're messing with!"

"Gag him up will you. I'm sick of listening to his shit!"

She can see them now, six men in all. Two of them are tied to trees, hands and feet bound with rope. One of them has a handle bar type moustache, and the other wears a leather jacket with a red scarf.

Rachel stays out of sight. She can't turn her back on those in need, that is if the guys tied up are good people.

Still trying to figure out her next move, one of the men stands and turns in her direction. That's when she sees the W carved on his forehead. Rachel grimaces. It doesn't matter who the two men are and whether they're good guys, she'll help simply because it means she gets to kill more of those fuckers.


End file.
